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Chocolate Creme Brûlée Recipe (Low-Carb/Sugar Free Option) – the perfect “healthyish” chocolate dessert. Made with dark chocolate, egg yolks, sweetener and heavy cream. Creamy, smooth and delicious. Could be made in advance.
This is really a foolproof recipe of a fancy dessert, that you can customize to your taste and make at home. This dessert is naturally gluten-free and you have the option of using low-carb sweetener to turn it Keto friendly.
I hope it is not bold enough to say that Creme Brulee is one of my favorite desserts. While I haven’t shared a regular (basic) Creme Brulee recipe on the blog, I do have a recipe for Keto Creme Brûlée and Pumpkin Keto Creme Brûlée. It was time to test the recipe using chocolate or cocoa powder.
I decided to use high quality dark chocolate (milk can be used too, but my goal was to create a healthier dessert) and add it to the heavy cream, while it is hot. This way I created a mixture for chocolate custard (sweetener, heavy cream, egg yolks and dark chocolate).
I baked it a relatively low temperature in a pan filled with water and the final result was amazing – smooth and tasty chocolate Brûlée.
Serve the way it is, or with fresh mint, berries or whipped cream on top.
How to make Chocolate Brûlée?
The method is the same, as you are making a regular Creme Brûlée.
Ingredients:
- egg yolks (tip: separate from egg whites while the eggs are still cold, then let them come to room temperature)
- granulated sugar or low carb sweetener
- vanilla extract (optional)
- dark chocolate, I used Lindt 78% cocoa
- heavy cream (at least 30 % fat)
- pinch of salt (optional)
- brown or caster sugar (or low-carb granulated sweetener) for browning on top
Directions:
Full recipe in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the mixture for chocolate custard mixture.
- Divide between 4 or 6 (smaller) ramekins.
- Bake in a water bath until the edges are starting to set.
- Cool completely.
- Sprinkle the top with regular, brown or low carb sugar and melt it with a torch.
- Serve with your favorite topping.
Water Bath Baking:
I used to be the person to deny the benefits of water bath baking for cheesecakes. I do use this method for Brûlée and Flan, because I want to ensure I’m making the smoothest, lightest and the most delicious custard dessert possible. Somehow the “no water bath” method used to work for cheesecakes, but they generally tend to be smoother, when baked inside a water bath.
The whole idea of this method is to place the baked goods (either a pan of cheesecake or ramekins with custard) inside a baking dish, filled with water, then bake in the oven. The trick is not to allow the water to boil, but it should be hot. This way the custard cooks evenly, because it keeps the water temperature more consistent.
Low-Carb, Keto and Sugar-Free option
The recipe and nutritional information in the recipe card below is for a non Keto Chocolate Brulee, made with white sugar. Feel free to substitute with low-carb granulated sweetener and even brown low-carb sweetener for the topping. All the rest of the ingredients are Keto Diet friendly.
How to store Chocolate Creme Brûlée?
Once baked and cooled to room temperature, I store the individual ramekins of Creme Brulee wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Tips:
- Ingredients at room temperature – make sure, that for best results all ingredients are at room temperature.
- Good quality chocolate – I recommend using real, good quality chocolate, since it contains just cacao butter, cocoa solids and sugar and not a lot of unnecessary ingredients.
- Baking – bake at 320 F in a water bath for 30-40 minutes.
- Make in advance – this chocolate creme brûlée can be made in advance. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Substituting dark chocolate with unsweetened cocoa powder – this is possible. If for some reason you don’t wan to use chocolate or don’t have any, you can use cocoa powder instead. For this particular recipe, use 8 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder + 4 more tablespoons of heavy cream.
More Chocolate Recipes:
Chocolate Creme Brûlée
Ingredients
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar or low carb sweetener, could be granulated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 grams 4 oz dark chocolate, I used Lindt 78% cocoa
- 500 ml 2 cups heavy cream
- Pinch of salt, optional
- 1/4 cup brown or caster sugar, or low-carb granulated sweetener for browning on top
- Berries and whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320 F (160 C).
- Place rack in the middle. Prepare a baking dish, that is almost as deep as the ramekins used, since there will be a water bath used.
- Chop chocolate and add to a bowl.
- Add the egg yolks and half of the sweetener to a bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Heat the heavy cream (plus pinch of salt) and the remaining sweetener over medium heat, until it just starts to bubble.
- Pour 1/4 of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Return the egg yolk mixture to the hot cream. Whisk. Add in the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Add vanilla (optional). Strain mixture into 4 or 6 ramekins.
- Place in a baking dish. Add water.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the brûlée starts to thicken around the edges, but the center is still soft.
- Do not overbake, because the creaminess will be compromise and the dessert will turn dry and thick.
- Cool completely.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sweetener on top of each ramekin. Use a pastry torch to melt the sweetener.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mira, your descriptives make me want to try everything you present. You ar an artist with words as well as food!