Coconut Creme Brulee
Coconut creme brulee is a decadent custard with a tropical twist. This smooth and cool dessert topped with a perfectly caramelized sugar crust is an amazing way to end a special meal.
Earlier this month, I finally shared my recipe for the 100% classic vanilla bean creme brulee. You can absolutely never go wrong with this dessert, and it’s loved by all ages.
BUT, I also love playing with tradition once in awhile. I’ve been known to whip up creme brulee flavors like grapefruit creme brulee or lemon creme brulee when it’s citrus season, pumpkin creme brulee for Thanksgiving, and even Christmas creme brulee featuring gingerbread spices.
But one thing I haven’t done until now is experiment with the dairy base of the custard. I’ve always used heavy cream for a rich, traditional flavor.
Today, I’m changing things up by combining cream and coconut milk for a tropical twist on this classic dessert. This coconut creme brulee is an amazing way to end a summer meal, or a perfect dessert for Easter.
What you’ll need for this coconut creme brulee recipe
- coconut milk – you want the FULL FAT kind that is sold in cans, NOT the refrigerated coconut milk that’s sold with the other dairy alternatives in the dairy case.
- heavy cream – I also use heavy whipping cream for this recipe so the custard has the appropriate texture, and the coconut flavor isn’t too overwhelming. Cream is also what I use to make my microwave caramel sauce decadent.
- vanilla bean – you’ll be using a half of a vanilla bean for this coconut creme brulee recipe. You may also substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in place of the vanilla bean.
- coconut extract – this reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk and makes it extra delicious and tropical.
- granulated sugar – you’ll need this for both the custard and for sprinkling on top to torch.
- egg yolks – you’ll need the yolks of 6 large eggs for coconut milk creme brulee. Serious Eats has a bunch of ideas for what to do with leftover egg whites.
- kosher salt – just a pinch. The finished dessert won’t taste salty, but it will taste balanced, just like my chocolate creme brulee.
- toasted sweetened coconut flakes – this is optional, but adding a sprinkle of shredded coconut to the finished dessert adds a special touch. There’s a note on how to easily toast coconut flakes in the recipe card below.
- blowtorch – you can use a specially made kitchen blowtorch, or just one from the hardware store. I use the full size hardware store kind.
- ramekins or creme brulee dishes – you’ll need six ceramic ramekins or dishes that are oven safe and will hold at least 4 ounces of liquid for this recipe.
How to Make Coconut Creme Brulee
1. PREP. Preheat the oven, heat a large kettle of water to boiling, and place six 4- to 5-ounce ramekins in a roasting pan.
2. HEAT. In a small pan, heat the vanilla bean, coconut milk and heavy cream until it just starts to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut extract.
3. WHISK. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt until well combined.
4. TEMPER. While whisking, slowly add 4 ladlefuls of the hot cream mixture to the egg mixture, then gradually whisk in the remaining cream mixture. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
5. BAKE AND CHILL. Divide the custard mixture between the ramekins and add enough boiling water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are just set. Transfer to a cooling rack for 30 minutes, then wrap and chill in the refrigerator until fully cold.
6. TORCH. Sprinkle sugar over each custard. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the top of each custard until sugar bubbles and turns brown.
A note about ramekin size
Size DOES matter for creme brulee ramekins. Not only will you need six 4- to 5- ounce ramekins, but you’ll need to pay attention to the shape of them and how it will relate to the baking time for this recipe.
If your ramekins are wide and shallow, your custard may bake a little faster. If your ramekins are narrow and deep, you will likely need to bake your custard longer.
In the photos you see in this post, I’m using wide and shallow ramekins, and my custard took about 26 minutes to bake until it was just set (the middles still trembled slightly, while the custard was set on the outer edges).
If you use narrow and deep ramekins, start at 30 minutes and continue baking, checking every 5 minutes until your custard is just set. It could take up to 45 minutes.
How to work with the vanilla bean
First, carefully use a sharp paring knife to cut the vanilla bean in half, crosswise. We’ll be using half for this recipe, and you can reserve the other half for another use, like my vanilla beurre blanc shrimp.
Then, split the half vanilla bean right down the middle, lengthwise. Use the tip of the paring knife to scrape as many vanilla bean seeds out of each side of the half pod as possible.
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These seeds will go into the cream mixture on the stove as you start the coconut creme brulee custard. You will also throw the two pod halves into the cream mixture, too, to coax out any remaining vanilla beans and lend the custard even more flavor.
The pod pieces will be strained out in the final step of making the custard.
Some tips for torching the coconut milk creme brulee
First of all, you want to be sure to get an EVEN layer of sugar across the surface of each custard.
I sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar across the custard as evenly as I can, and then I kind of tilt and shake and shimmy the ramekin until it’s even more evened out.
Once you start torching the sugar, it’s important to remember to keep the torch moving constantly so none of the areas burn.
Personally, I’ve found it easiest to brown the sugar of the coconut milk creme brulee in stages. Meaning, first I torch the entire surface of the sugar until it is light golden brown.
And then I go back and keep torching until everything is medium golden brown. And then again until it’s all dark golden brown.
As soon as you start to smell any sugar burning, stop torching immediately. Dark brown sugar is delicious, but burnt sugar is just bitter.
Can you freeze creme brulee?
If you can’t eat all 6 servings right away, coconut milk creme brulee is able to be frozen!
To freeze, complete the recipe through Step 5, but instead of transferring to the refrigerator, wrap and transfer to the freezer instead. It’s best if you put the wrapped ramekins in a freezer bag, as well.
Like my shortbread thumbprint cookies, the custards should keep about 3 months in the freezer.
When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator for about 4 to 6 hours, and then sprinkle the tops of the coconut creme brulee with sugar and torch just before serving.
If you love freezer friendly recipes like this coconut brulee recipe, be sure to check out my egg muffins recipe, vegetables lasagna and cottage cheese lasagna.
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Coconut Creme Brulee
Ingredients
For the Custard:
- ½ vanilla bean split and scraped
- 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 6 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
For Serving:
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Toasted sweetened coconut flakes see Home Chef Tips below, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Make the Custard:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F; heat large kettle of water to boiling. Place six 4- to 5-ounce ramekins (see Home Chef Tips below) in roasting pan.
- In small saucepan, heat vanilla bean and it's scrapings, coconut milk and heavy cream over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes until cream just starts to bubble around edges of pan (do not bring to a full boil). Remove from heat and stir in coconut extract.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and salt until well combined. While whisking, use ladle to slowly add 4 ladlefuls of hot cream mixture to egg mixture. Gradually whisk in remaining cream mixture. Strain through fine mesh strainer into large liquid measuring cup.
- Divide custard mixture between ramekins; place roasting pan in oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of the ramekins. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until custards are just set (they should tremble slightly in the middle, but be set on outer edges).
- Use tongs or pancake turner to carefully transfer ramekins to cooling rack; let stand 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours or up to 2 days before serving.
- To serve, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each custard. Using blowtorch, caramelize top of each custard until sugar bubbles and turns brown (this can also be done under a broiler). Garnish with coconut flakes, if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
Home Chef Tips:
- To make toasted coconut flakes, place 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes on microwave safe plate and microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Carefully stir coconut and continue microwaving on high in 30 second increments, stirring ever 30 seconds until coconut is golden brown.
- You may substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in place of the vanilla bean.
- If your ramekins are wide and shallow, your custard may bake a little faster. If your ramekins are narrow and deep, you will likely need to bake your custard longer.In the photos you see in this post, I'm using wide and shallow ramekins, and my custard took about 26 minutes to bake until it was just set. If you use narrow and deep ramekins, start at 30 minutes and continue baking, checking every 5 minutes until your custard is just set. It could take up to 45 minutes.
OMG! I was looking for a dessert to take to a friend’s house tonight. She and hubby are making Thai food. I looked at Thai desserts (mostly rice-based) and I simply wasn’t interested. I started thinking about tropical things like coconut, vanilla, ginger and mango and then I found your website. I made the custard although I added sliced fresh ginger to the cream/coconut milk while heating it. I tasted one of them right out of the oven and I think you are a genius! It is sooooo smooth and tropical-tasting. I mixed some powdered ginger into the sugar and will test it on the one I tasted. I’m hoping the ginger doesn’t burn. In that case, I’ll just use sugar by itself. This is a keeper! Thank you.
I’m so glad to hear this, Marilyn. I LOVE the addition of ginger. I am going to have to try that myself. And such a great idea to pair this with Thai food. Yum!
They loved it last night. I tried the sugar/powdered ginger test on one of them (the recipe makes 6 so I could sacrifice 2 for experiments) but the ginger was too intense. I used plain granulated sugar and it was perfect.
Great to know! Thanks Marilyn!