To learn something new is always a challenge. Some of us take it in our stride, and some of us go kicking and screaming. Never have we seen a group of people more willing to embrace change and challenges than our students. This Vegan Crème Brûlée is another example of the talent of our raw vegan chef students.
Michelle has taken what is normally a dairy based dessert and made heaven happen! When we can have these options, why wouldn’t we? It doesn’t hurt our health, no animals have suffered, and it is a far better option for the environment.
Our students are tasked with taking a classic favorite and converting it into a delicious vegan dish. Maybe it’s the passion they have for the process, but they never fail to impress. Well done Michelle, you’ve done it again!
Come on everyone… We know you will love this one… enjoy!
- 1 cup cashews, soaked 6-8 hours
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1 1/2 TBSP Tapicoa Flour
- 1/8 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla seeds
- 2-3 TBSP granulated sugar (White works best)
- Drain and rinse cashews and place in a food processor or high-powered blender. Add water and and puree until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan stir together almond milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, chickpea flour, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla beans. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil. At this point the milk mixture will start to become thick. Continue stirring, scraping the sides of the pot, allowing milk to boil for two minutes. This ensures that the cornstarch and chickpea flour are cooked. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Place four ramekins or custard cups onto a sheet tray over a flat surface.
- Once mixture has cooled slightly, remove vanilla beans and set aside. Add the thick milk mixture to the pureed cashews in the food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Pour evenly into ramekins. Cover with tin foil and refrigerate until chilled all the way through, at least 3 hours. At this point they could also remain in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Now to the fun part!
- Just before serving, add about 1/2 tbsp of sugar on top of each custard. Spread evenly a thin layer on top by rotating the custard dish in a circular motion. Tap off any excess sugar. Using a torch, melt the sugar so that it begins to bubble and turn golden.
- Once the top is burnt, eat within an hour. Do not place back in the refrigerator as it will melt the burnt top.
If you want to take your raw food journey to a more advanced level, consider our Raw Vegan Culinary Course.