Chai Creme Brûlée

I can’t imagine a more comforting way to end the day than tucking into a gorgeously sweet crème brûlée. Sitting alongside my spiced poached pears with orange, it's a recipe taken from my new book Eat Right for Your Shape.

After that initial crack of the spoon hitting the caramelised roof of candied sugar, the dreamy smoothness of what lies beneath is a moment of pure indulgence. 

If you’re having a big week of work, study, or managing a family, this ayurvedic treat would be the ultimate reward following a post-dinner Epsom salts bath with calming essential oils. And if I haven’t tempted you quite yet, there’s even more to celebrate in this delectable dessert. This isn’t your ordinary crème brulee laden with refined sugar and cream. 

Some savvy switches have been made to make it allergy friendly and a balancing source of nutrition for pitta and vatta dosha’s.

Pitta’s who are governed by the elements of fire and water will benefit from the cooling qualities of coconut cream that will help to pacify a tendency towards heat imbalance driven problems including fever, inflammation and skin troubles like eczema. Although pitta’s should normally avoid oily foods, coconut products are the exception due to their cooling and soothing nature.

If you’re a vata- governed by air and ether elements; you’ll find that your creative, contagiously energetic energy can quickly become imbalanced; bringing a fast shift to worry, anxiety, dry skin and hair, and muscular aches and pains. 

Unbalanced vatta’s need fats, oils and warming foods to lubricate the body and bring contentment. This crème brulee with its richness of healthy coconut and almond fats combined with chai spices will have an incredibly grounding and calming effect on your nervous system. 

The emphasis on sweet (madhura) flavours found in the coconut sugar and rice malt syrup will also instil earth and water energy into the body that will serve pitta’s and kapha’s well; grounding airy vata’s nervous energy and soothing pitta’s aggravated digestive fire. 

Cinnamon is a wonderful ingredient to manage the uptake of sweetness in the dish and ensure stable blood sugars that will keep your moods and energy levels balanced.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Makes 4

• 400 ml (14 fl oz) tin additive-free coconut cream
• 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) almond milk
• 1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
• 1 chai tea bag
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 6 whole cloves
• 4 cardamom pods, bruised
• ½ teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon agar agar
• 55 g (2 oz/1⁄3 cup) coconut sugar

Method

• Combine the coconut cream, almond milk, rice malt syrup, tea bag, spices and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmering point but do not allow to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain then return the liquid to the saucepan, discarding the solids.
• Place the agar agar in a small bowl, and ladle over a little of the coconut mixture. Stir well, then slowly pour back into the saucepan, stirring well until dissolved. Pour into ramekins and refrigerate for 3–4 hours or until set.
• When ready to serve, cover the top with an even layer of coconut sugar and place under the grill (broiler) set to high, or use a blowtorch, until a caramelised crust appears on top.

Make it and let me know what you think?

Happy cooking 🙂

Lee x