Easy Keto Low-Carb Crème Brûlée is a healthy, sugar-free dessert recipe made with sweet, thick custard and topped with caramelized sweetener. You will only need 4 ingredients for this recipe!
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Is crème brûlée keto-friendly? Most of the ingredients are! And like most desserts, the only thing that is not low carb, is the refined sugar. You can easily replace it with zero-carb monkfruit sweetener.
Table of Contents
What is Crème Brûlée and What Does it Mean?
It means burnt cream. It can also be referred to as Catalana crema, which I learned in Barcelona while traveling. It's a dessert with a rich custard for the base and is topped with caramelized sugar.
Tools Needed for the Recipe
How to Make Keto Creme Brulee
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Add the egg yolks to a mixing bowl along with the sweetener and vanilla. Stir.
- Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add the cream. Heat for a few minutes until the edges of the cream start to bubble.
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl with the egg mixture, pour it in stages, while stirring the egg mixture continuously.
- Place 2 4oz ramekins into a baking dish. Pour the mixture into the ramekins.
- Pour hot water into the baking dish, enough water to fill halfway up the side of the ramekins.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until the edges are set and the center appears jiggly.
- Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and place them on a cooling rack to cool.
- Chill for a minimum of 2 hours. For best results, chill overnight
- Sprinkle sweetener over the chilled custard.
- Carmelize the sweetener with a kitchen torch.
How to Separate Egg Yolks from Egg Whites
You will need your eggs to be at room temperature for this recipe, but I find that it's easier to separate the egg yolks while the eggs are cold. So I do that first.
- Grab two small bowls to catch the yolks in one and the whites in the other.
- Crack the eggs on a flat surface. I use a cutting board.
- Open up the eggs slightly over one of the bowls to catch the egg whites.
- Break the egg into 2 shells and toss the yolk back and forth into both shells while forcing the whites into the bowl.
- When finished pour the yolk into the second bowl.
What Type of Sweetener to Use
I recommend zero-carb monkfruit sweetener. It's the only sweetener I use and it is the only sweetener I used while testing this recipe. It measures 1:1 like standard refined sugar and is free of calories and sugar. It's also organic and will not spike blood sugar.
How to Tell When it Has Finished Baking
The sides will appear somewhat firm and the center will be very jiggly when it's time to remove the custard from the oven. It should not have a liquid consistency.
How Long to Chill
You will need to chill the dessert for a minimum of 2 hours, but I have found that chilling it overnight really works best. At 2 hours you will have custard, but it's a lot softer in texture and may melt some when you go to caramelize the sweetener on top.
How to Caramelize the Sweetener
Use a kitchen torch and spread it evenly throughout the sweetened surface. Don't be afraid of burnt sweetener. This is the appeal of the dish. Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before cracking into it.
Do You Have to Use a Torch?
You don't have to, but it definitely works the best. Once the custard has chilled, you can also broil the custard in the oven. I recommend you leave the oven door open during this process so you don't melt the custard. During testing, I noticed this altered the texture of the custard.
It was not as thick and creamy as it would be if you used a torch. You can also try placing the ramekins in an oven-safe dish filled with ice and cold water, and then broil. This will help keep the custard chilled.
You can also use the spoon trick. For this method, you heat a large spoon over high heat on the stove. Be sure to hold the spoon with a towel to protect your hand and fingers. Hold the spoon over the heat for 2 minutes. Spread spoon over the sweetener to caramelize the sweetener using the heat of the spoon.
Why Did the Dessert Not Set? Why is it Soupy?
The custard will not set during baking. It sets when it cools. If you have refrigerated it and it has not set, then you haven't chilled it long enough or you didn't bake it long enough initially.
If you applied too much heat during caramelization, this will also result in a soupy custard.
How to Serve the Dish
Serve the dish in the same ramekin used for baking. You should brulee (torch) the dessert right before serving. The appeal of this dish is the ability to combine a crisp, warm and sugary crust with cool custard on the inside.
How Long Will it Last in the Fridge?
The custard will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. I recommend covering them to seal out any odors from the fridge.
Can You Make it Ahead?
Yes, the custard can be made 3 days in advance. The caramelized topping can be made a day in advance, but this dish is best served immediately after the sweetener is caramelized.
Carbs in Creme Brulee
This recipe has 1 net carb per serving.
More Keto Dessert Recipes
Keto Cheesecake
Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies
Keto Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Keto Lemon Bars
Keto Cheesecake Bombs
Keto Pound Cake
Keto Pumpkin Pie
Keto Chaffles
Keto Avocado Brownies
Keto Chocolate Mousse
Easy Keto Low-Carb Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
Custard
- 3 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sweetener
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Caramelized Topping
- 2 tablespoons sweetener 1 for each ramekin. You will need enough to create a layer of topping. Add more or less sweetener based on your judgment.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Add the egg yolks to a mixing bowl along with the sweetener and vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add the cream. Heat for a few minutes until the edges of the cream start to bubble. Do not allow the cream to boil.
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl with the egg mixture, pour it in stages, while stirring the egg mixture continuously. Move slowly. You don't want to pour the warm cream in all at once. You will risk scrambling the eggs.
- Place 2 4oz ramekins into a baking dish. Pour the mixture into the ramekins.
- Pour hot water into the baking dish. Pour enough water to fill halfway up the side of the ramekins.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until the edges are set and the center appears jiggly. It should not have a liquid form. Mine took 35 minutes.
- Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and place them on a cooling rack to cool. Cool until the ramekins aren't warm to touch. I cooled for about 30 minutes.
- Chill for a minimum of 2 hours. For best results, chill overnight if you like a thick custard.
- Sprinkle sweetener over the chilled custard, use enough to create an even layer on top.
- Carmelize the sweetener with a kitchen torch. Glide the torch back and forth at an even pace. See the notes below for how to broil. I like darker caramelization.
- Allow it to cool for 10- 15 minutes before cracking into it.
Video
Notes
- It typically takes 30 minutes to bring eggs to room temperature.
- If the mixture does not fill your ramekins, you can add more heavy cream. You may need 2 cups.
DO YOU HAVE TO USE A TORCH?
You don’t have to, but it definitely works the best. Once the custard has chilled, you can also broil the custard in the oven. I recommend you leave the oven door open during this process so you don’t melt the custard. During testing, I noticed this altered the texture of the custard. It was not as thick and creamy as it would be if you used a torch. You can also try placing the ramekins in an oven-safe dish filled with ice and cold water, and then broil. This will help keep the custard chilled. You can also use the spoon trick. For this method, you heat a large spoon over high heat on the stove. Be sure to hold the spoon with a towel to protect your hand and fingers. Hold the spoon over the heat for 2 minutes. Spread spoon over the sweetener to caramelize the sweetener using the heat of the spoon.WHY DID THE DESSERT NOT SET? WHY IS IT SOUPY?
The custard will not set during baking. It sets when it cools. If you have refrigerated it and it has not set, then you haven’t chilled it long enough or you didn’t bake it long enough initially. If you applied too much heat during caramelization, this will also result in a soupy custard.Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)
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Laura Parrish says
I have always been so intimidated to try to make creme brûlée, but (as always) Brandi has created a recipe that is easy to follow, fool-proof and, of course, DELICIOUS! I made this decadent dessert for the third time this weekend and no one had any idea that it was low carb. Can’t wait to treat myself using this recipe time and time again!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Debbie says
I'm confused. You say to use 2 ramekins, but the recipe says it makes 4 servings.
staysnatched says
Correct, each is 2 servings. You can use 4 if you prefer. Your call.