Who doesn’t love Creme Brulee? It’s an expensive, fancy dish that is usually only available at fancy restaurants, but if made properly, this is a very nutritious, low-carb and sugar free dessert!
I had never even attempted to make Creme Brulee before I came across a great recipe for it in a Crockpot cookbook of all places! Yes, I’ve adapted this from the wonderful Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cookbook by Stephanie O’Dea of 365 Days of SlowCooking. You can read my review of it here.
I adapted the recipe (and doubled it) to be free of sugar and low-carb. Oh, and I didn’t do anything involving a kitchen blow-torch on the top of it, so I guess this is not truly “creme brulee”.
I used Truvia (a stevia-erythritol blend) instead of sugar. By the way, I’m not 100% confident that Truvia is the best thing in the world, the jury is still out. I do trust it far more than any artificial sweetner, but if you’re concerned you can simply stick to your favorite form of stevia and add it to taste. There are lots of different Stevias out there, so go with what you prefer. In this household, right now we’re hooked on Truvia. But I don’t always trust things that are made by Cargill and white.
Creme Brulee
2 cups of heavy cream (preferably grass-fed, like Strauss)
5 egg yolks (Coscto now has 18-ct Organic, Cage Free Eggs for a little over $4! Not bad!)
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3-4 packets of Truvia (or your preferred form of Stevia, to taste)
1. Blend all ingredients together.
2. Place in individual ramekins or a large casserole dish.
3. Place in crockpot. Fill crock with water to come up halfway around the dishes (like a hot water bath).
4. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours. Remove and let cool completely.
5. Transfer and chill in the fridge overnight. It will be a little “jiggly” before you chill it. Don’t worry.
6. Serve topped with sliced strawberries (preferably organic) and enjoy!
Check out some other sugar-free recipes at Naturally Knocked Up. Not all are gluten-free or even grain-free, but they are all at least free of refined sugar and look great!
I LOVED this on my birthday-
Very delciously good!!
Do you think honey might work? I’m still not sure how I feel about truvia too, but we do use it in moderation.
Melissa,
Yes, I’m sure honey would work, although I’m not positive about the proportions. Perhaps I’d start with about 1/4 and maybe augment that with a little bit of stevia? Let me know how it turns out if you try it with honey!
Truvia is an over processed form of Stevia mixed with chemicals to make the texture palatable. If it’s not worse than table sugar then it’s comparable. Stick with herbal stevia, succanat, honey, maple syrup or fruit juice in their most natural states, if you’re concerned for the affects of over processed sweeteners. Otherwise, if it’s glycemic index issues and an aversion to herbal stevia, then truvia is as safe as saccharine. I DO NOT condone the use of artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame which is known for liver failure and other huge issues in small doses. I wish you best of luck in finding what works for you.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-truth-on-truvia/
http://www.foodrenegade.com/is-truvia-healthy/
Lindsay
Thank you so much for your comment. I have been wondering about this, and after we work through our current surplus I am not going to buy it anymore. I have recently read other places some of the same things, and I just think that when we process anything, we make it into something the body can’t use. I don’t mind herbal stevia at all, in fact I have a great source of where to got it. But do you feel that the stevia “tinctures” are any good? I will check out those links your shared; I really value Mark’s and Food Renegade’s perspectives!
i used Stevia extract as a sugar substitute because i am diabetic. Stevia is really sweeter than sucrose.,:.
i read somewhere on the internet that long term consumption of Aspartame is not really good for the health. -,,
Whey low great alternative to any sugar or sweetner, natural and tastes yummy
This looks like a real treat! would love to be able to get the “blow torch” affect though! If I try it, I would have to use coconut milk, so I’ll let you know how it turns out if I do.
thanks!
Oh yes, please do let me know!!!
I’m going to bookmark this and try it with xylitol. I don’t know why I don’t hear more about this. I like it so much more than stevia. A friend, who’s a real foodie, with her Ph.D in Nurtrional Biochem says it’s a great alternative to Stevia as some people (like me) don’t like it. She only recommends stevia and xylitol as natural sweetener subs (say, Diabetics, GAPS dieters, etc). You can find it at Whole Foods near the supplement section. Brands sold there are GMO-free.