Creme caramel is a famous French dessert that consists of a vanilla custard with a texture similar to flan, and a delicious caramel on top.
It usually contains eggs to firm up the creme, but here we are going with a combination of coconut milk and agar to get a rich and creamy consistency with a firm texture.
And to take this crème caramel to the next level, I included a crunchy salted coconut topping! SO GOOD!
We start by preparing the caramel. To keep it refined-sugar free, I went with a combination of maple syrup and coconut sugar. You combine them in a small saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and let it caramelize a bit.
I’m also sharing another way to make a more traditional caramel in the recipe notes if you don’t want to use maple syrup and coconut sugar.
Next, divide the caramel into 4 small ramequins and let it harden at room temperature.
In the meantime, you prepare the creme. Almond milk is combined with coconut milk for richness, maple syrup for a delicate sweetness, and vanilla for flavor. Then we have cornstarch and agar that will make the creme firm up once cooled.
Here is a quick tip if you want your creme caramel to look good: let the vanilla creme cool down a bit before pouring into the ramequins. I found out that if you pour it while still hot, the creme tends to separate a bit on top.
Finally, refrigerate for at least 8 hours before flipping over a plate. The caramel will “melt” over the creme caramel!
If you want to make these cremes caramel fancier, I highly recommend making the salted coconut topping! It consists of shredded coconut and coconut flakes combined with maple syrup and salt that are toasted until golden brown and crunchy.
I hope you will all love these cremes caramel! They are full of vanilla flavor, rich, and melt in your mouth! The caramel on top goes perfectly with the coconutty creme.
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Vegan Creme Caramel
Creamy vanilla creme caramel topped with a crunchy salted coconut crumble! It is super creamy, melt in your mouth, and perfectly sweet! Refined sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan!
Yield: 4 Cremes Caramel 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
Caramel
- 2 tbsp (30ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp (22g) coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp white vinegar (or lemon juice)
Creme
- 1 and 1/2 cup (354ml) almond milk
- 3/4 cup (177ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp (45ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp (16g) cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp agar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Salted Coconut Crumble (optional)
- 2 tbsp (10g) shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp (10g) large coconut flakes
- 1 tsp (5ml) maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Start by preparing the caramel. Add the maple syrup, coconut sugar, and white vinegar to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly until it starts to boil. Once boiling, let it boil for about 30 seconds, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Immediately remove from heat and divide the caramel into 4 small ramequins. Tilt each ramequin to spread the caramel in the bottom. Set aside and let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
- In a medium-size saucepan, combine the almond milk, coconut milk, and maple syrup. Add the cornstarch and agar and whisk to dissolve.
- Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens (usually just before boiling). Once it has thickened, remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and whisk again.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid and let it cool about 15 minutes before pouring into the ramequins over the caramel. I recommend letting it cool a bit because if you pour it immediately over the caramel it will make it melt and it won’t result in good looking cremes caramel.
- Let the creme caramel cool a bit at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, the creme caramel will thicken and slightly harden.
- To serve, run a knife along the edges of each ramequin, cover with a plate and flip it. The caramel will be on top and cover the creme. Serve fresh, topped with the salted coconut crumble!
Salted Coconut Crumble (optional)
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the shredded coconut, coconut flakes, maple syrup, and salt.
- Spread the coconut on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool completely before using.
Notes
For a more traditional caramel: place 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Add 1 tbsp of water. Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved and starts boiling. After another 1-2 minutes, it get nice golden brown color. At this point, remove from heat immediately as you don’t want the caramel to burn, and divide into the ramequins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Creme Caramel (without topping)
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 19.3g
- Fat: 5.9g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 0.9g
Agar comes in flakes and powder – you do not mention which is used. They can’t be used interchangeably.
In the photo it looks like powdered Agar rather than flake.
Agar powder.
Hi Thomas, I’m anxious to try this recipe. Question: what form of agar is this – flakes? or powder? Thanks. 🙂
Hi Andrea,
Agar powder, will fix the recipe!
Hi Thomas, your “flan” seems perfect, and your photos are absolutely amazing 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe ! I will do it very soon !!
You’re welcome 🙂 Merci !
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for the recipe ! Why using vinegar here ?. .. can I use lemon juice instead ?
I use vinegar to keep the caramel from hardening too much and stay at the bottom of the ramequins.
what a beauty. can I use tapioca instead of cornstarch for this one?
I think tapioca should work!
Hii, I’m from Brazil and just want you to know that your recipe is amazing and it’s in this part of the world! Loved your blog s2
★★★★★
Great! Thanks for your feedback Marjana 🙂
What can I substitute the almond milk for?
I am allergic to almonds and cashews.
Soy milk, peanut milk, oat milk, etc.
Okay honestly, I wanna marry you. There are just too many recipes. I love them all. I thought I was adventurous in the kitchen. Then I got introduced to you. I’m like… he’s the one!
Thanks for the kind words!
I found this recipe on Pinterest while searching for vegan flan. I had a can of coconut cream on hand so I used that instead of coconut milk. Other than that one substitution, I followed the recipe exactly. I even made the coconut crumble. I was concerned about the creme sticking to the ramekin but all four came out cleanly. The end result looked exactly like the pictures shown in the recipe! I was very pleased and so were my dinner guests. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome! Thanks so much for your great feedback Lindsey 🙂 I’m glad you liked these flans!
Can I use more almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Hi Thomas,
I made this last night. I had already started the recipe when I realized I only had coconut cream in the pantry but went ahead with using that. They slipped out of their ramekins perfectly and they were picture perfect. The taste was sublime and I could have eaten another one (and I am not a dessert person). The flavor was absolutely perfect, the caramel also spot on. So quick and easy to make too and love that it is make ahead. Fantastic – thanks Thomas – love your recips
★★★★★
Awesome! I’m glad the recipe worked well for you 🙂
Thanks for your rating and feedback!
This looks awesome, does it work in one large dish as opposed to individual ramekins?
Hi Allison,
I have never try, but I think it should work. Just be careful when flipping!
I know you used Agar powder and someone mentioned powder and flakes cannot be used interchangeably. I only have Agar flakes – will they work or do I have to order powder? If flakes will work, does the recipe or technique have be modified in any way?
If using agar flakes, you need to use more (about X3 according to some websites).
Bonjour! Would using soymilk rather than almond, and canned coconut cream rather than milk, work?
Hi Clementine,
Sure, feel free to use soy milk instead of almond milk. Coconut cream will work as well, resulting in a very slightly firmer texture!
thank you, and would using cane sugar rather than maple syrup be fine?
Yes! Check out the recipe notes!
This is so fantastic. Wonderful Texture and perfect flavor.
★★★★★
Thanks for your rating Jeremy!
Wow, so excited to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing – it’s so hard on my diet to find anything sweet. I’m allergic to coconut so can I use just almond milk?
If you don’t use coconut, the creme will be softer, so you might want to increase a bit the thickeners.
Wow, this looks great! I’m so excited to try it! I struggle to find anything I can eat as I am so allergic to so many things including coconut. Can I just use almond milk instead?
AMAZING! Salted coconut topping was even more amazing.
I’ve been vegan for a few years now and miss having flan. This flan is even better than the flan you’d get at a restaurant.
MAKE THIS FLAN! Super easy.
★★★★★
Thanks so much for your feedback Cici! 🙂
Hello, how do you do so that your flan doesn’t crack? When I serve mine it always looks all crack.
Hi Mario,
Make sure your flan mixture is not too hot when pouring into the ramequins. Let it cool a bit, give it another good whisk and then pour into the ramequins.
What size ramekins?
About 2.5-inch ramekins.
Can you link the plastic ramekins you used.
I got them at the store, I’m not sure where to find online. Maybe check Amazon.
Thomas , it is a great recipe for creme caramel! I added a dash of curcuma to the creme. The taste and look are amazing. Together with the delicious topping one can say, “the best dessert ever” ! Thank you!
★★★★★
Thanks for your feedback Afsaneh!
This could be interesting… didn’t want to use up part of a tin of coconut milk (400g) so used all of that and made up the volume with soy milk. Didn’t have cornstarch so upped the agar to 1tsp. Then I noticed what I thought was vanilla extract was almond extract.. oh well milk is boiling now might as well give it a crack.
From the agar container it says it’ll thicken on cooling… we’ll find out. Even if a bit sloppy ae can still eat em out of the ramekins 🙂
★★★★★
Well, hope it still went good 🙂
Hmm doesn’t seem to let me reply to my comment. Anyway yes was perfectly good without cornstarch and with almond essence. Will make again with vanilla (I think seeds from pod would work best). Do you use more milk to bring down the fat content? And how does the cornstarch change the texture as seemed fine to me with just agar.
Sadly kids didn’t like it. Maybe too grown up for them 🙂
★★★★★
Great! If you add more milk, the consistency will change. It’s the coconut cream that also helps the creme firm up. Cornstarch gives it a creamier texture.
I’m thinking kids will like it more with vanilla 🙂
Hi Thomas
This looks SOOOO good, can’t wait to try. Only thing is, my nutritional testing suggests I may have a food intolerance to Agar. Can you think of an alternate ingredient that might work reasonably well here?
Thanks 🙂
Sharon
Hi Sharon,
You could try adding some potato starch to make it thicken more, but you won’t get the same texture I’m afraid.
What if I don’t have full fat milk? What can I substitute it for?
You could use another milk and increase a bit the agar/cornstarch. I haven’t tried it without coconut cream so I’m afraid I can’t recommend amounts.