Should you eat crème brûlée on a gluten-free diet?
Crème brûlée is a popular delicious pudding eaten in France, England, Spain, Netherlands, India, and the US. It is a highly indulging treat, but celiacs know better than to just jump on anything because it tastes great.
Gluten sensitivity is a condition characterized by symptoms such as gassiness, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, brain fog, or anemia. These symptoms are triggered by the consumption of foods that contain gluten.
For these reasons, people with gluten sensitivity must thoroughly inspect their meals for the slightest trace of gluten. And the very tasty crème brûlée must also be inspected.
If you are looking to include crème brûlée in your gluten-free meals, you should read this article.
What is crème brûlée?
Also known as burnt cream and trinity cream, crème brûlée is a dessert made of custard topped with a layer of hardened caramel sugar.
Crème brûlée is made of eggs, cream, sugar, and vanilla. It is a pudding-like treat that comes off as a baked custard and a brittle top. This top is covered with melted sugar that cracks when you tap it with a spoon.
The custard is made with heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. It shares a lot of similarities with the original crema Catalana.
Nutritional facts of crème brûlée
Crème brûlée is a rich source of protein and fat, among other nutrients.
One serving (200g) of crème brûlée contains:
- 687 calories
- 60g of fat
- 30g of carbs
- 8.3g of protein
- 444mg of cholesterol
- 54mg of sodium
- 179mg of potassium
- 137mg of calcium
- 0.8mg of iron
- 3.7mcg of vitamin D
Is crème brûlée gluten-free?
A traditional crème brûlée is gluten-free. A plain creme brûlée recipe contains cream, vanilla, sugar, eggs, and water. This makes it gluten-free and safe for people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.
However, some créme brûlée recipes may contain gluten flour. These types of créme brûlée are commonly sold in stores.
To be safe, always check the labels to be sure you’re not eating a brand that uses gluten ingredients.
Is Starbucks créme brûlée latte gluten-free?
If you are eating gluten-free and wondering if you can have any of the delicious treats at Starbucks, try the créme brûlée.
Unlike the regular créme brûlée, Starbucks créme brûlée is made with Torani syrup, salted caramel, vanilla, and of course, coffee and milk. All of these ingredients are gluten-free.
Is Costco Marie Morin créme brûlée gluten-free?
Yes, Costco Marie Morin créme brûlée is gluten-free. Costco affirms that it is safe people with celiac disease.
Is Hansells créme brûlée gluten-free?
Yes, Hansells créme brûlée is gluten-free. This treat does not contain any gluten ingredients. Therefore, it is safe for people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.
Is Zupas créme brûlée gluten-free?
The créme brûlée at Zupas does not contain gluten ingredients. However, Zupas’ website says their créme brûlée may be cross-contaminated with gluten. This is because they also process wheat and gluten foods in the same facilities.
Zupas créme brûlée may not be 100% safe for people with celiac disease.
Is McDonald’s créme brûlée McFlurry gluten-free?
No, McDonald’s créme brûlée is not gluten-free. It contains wheat-based caramel bits which are not safe for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Is Bonne Maman créme brûlée gluten-free?
Bonne Maman says they do not use gluten ingredients in their créme brûlée. But you should know that it may contain bits of gluten cereals.
Gluten-free crème brûlée recipe
Ingredients & equipment
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 can coconut cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 6 tbsp maple or coconut sugar
- 18x12x3 cake pan
- 6-ounce ramekins
- Mixing bowls, preferably glass
- Whisk
- Kitchen torch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and place a kitchen towel close to the baking sheet rim
- Add syrup, coconut cream, and vanilla extract to a heated skillet. Stir until it begins to boil slightly. Cook for 5 minutes and remove the skillet from the heat
- Then, beat the egg yolks in a small bowl
- With a stand mixer, slowly whisk the coconut cream mixture on low speed. Slowly pour in the whisked eggs while the machine is still running
- Pour the mixture into the ramekin through a strainer
- Place the ramekin on top of a towel covered in hot water on the baking sheet
- Put in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the edge is set. But the middle should still be slightly jiggly
- Afterward, remove it from the oven and place it in the refrigerator overnight to cool
- When it has chilled, sprinkle sugar over the ramekins
- Using a kitchen torch, burn the sugar for 1 to 2 minutes or until crispy but not burnt
- Alternatively, add sugar on top of the custards, then broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sugar is crispy
Is there a gluten-free and dairy-free crème brûlée?
It is established that créme brûlée is gluten-free. You can also make it dairy-free to suit your dairy allergies or lactose intolerance. Use dairy-free cream or replace cream with plant-based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
Be rest assured that your créme brûlée will taste great with plant-based milk.
FAQs
Can you make crème brûlée without a torch?
Yes, you can. You can brûlée with the oven’s broiler if you don’t have a crème torch. However, this will warm the chilled custard.
In addition, watch closely so it doesn’t burn. But to get the best of crème brûlée, ensure to get yourself a kitchen torch.
Is crème brûlée vegan?
The typical crème brûlée recipe is not vegan, but you can make yours vegan with a little substitution.
Replace cream with vegan, plant-based milk. Also, replace the egg yolks with corn flour or cornstarch.
Should crème brûlée be hot or cold?
Crème brûlée is always served cold, with a warm top. The sugar on top is caramelized, while the main base remains cold.
What type of bowl should you use to serve your crème brûlée?
You’ll need a ramekin to serve your crème brûlée. Typical dishes are at least 5 inches in width and height, while the crème brûlée dish is shallow and wide.
This creates enough surface area for the crispy sugar shell and a fair ratio of creamy custard to brûléed sugar. If you haven’t purchased a ramekin, now is the time to get yours.
So, should you eat crème brûlée?
If you’re making your crème brûlée at home or buying from a certified gluten-free brand, yes, you can eat crème brûlée. The typical crème brûlée recipe uses gluten-free ingredients. This makes it safe for people with gluten intolerance or celiac.
However, as mentioned earlier, some crème brûlées may be cross-contaminated with gluten if they are produced in facilities that process gluten grains.
A gluten-free diet should not be difficult to manage. All you need to do is get a list of gluten-free foods you can eat and avoid the ones you should not eat.
Thank you for reading.
