Almost Instant Yogurt Creme Brulee

For a guy who doesn’t like eggs, my husband sure has a weakness for custard.

He won’t touch an omelet or a fried egg sandwich with a 10-foot spatula, but if you want to make his day, just give him a big bowl of freshly made salted caramel ice cream.

Or–if you really want to get fancy around these parts–offer him a ramekin of creme brûlée.

(Seriously. The man loves it. He even sometimes does the Homer Simpson chant when he knows I’m making it.)

But the thing about custards, and creme brûlée in particular, is that they’re a plan-ahead kind of thing.

I can whip an emulsified cream without blinking an eye, but we’re all going to have to wait overnight for it to chill before we can dig into its satiny depths.

No, custards are not the thing for spontaneous romantic gestures.

That’s why I was so intrigued by the yogurt brûlée recipe from my friend Tina Ruggiero’s The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook.

Thick Greek yogurt replacing high-maintenance custard? No overnight chill time?

Tina might be a registered dietitian, but she’s one of the few nutrition experts I trust for true-to-taste recipes.

The gal’s not afraid of a little sugar and chocolate–or cheese–to keep the palate entertained while sneaking in the good nutrients.

Well, Dan saw me making the brûlées, so I fudged half the surprise there.

But what he didn’t know was that hidden beneath the vanilla-flecked yogurt was a hidden layer of dark chocolate ganache.

While the texture is softer than traditional creme brûlée made with eggs, the smooth filling is a refreshing–and still happily sweet–counterpart to the rich and slightly bitter chocolate beneath.

A few spoonfuls of spiced cranberries, fresh strawberries, or raspberries lend an appropriately festive punch of color to the dessert.

However, neither Dan nor I would say no that aforementioned salted caramel ice cream on the side either!

Greek Yogurt Creme Brulee

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Greek yogurt creme brulee is a healthier, quicker version of the classic custard dessert with a crunchy sugar topping. Grab a spoon!

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Ingredients

Special Equipment

• 4 6-ounce oven-safe ceramic ramekins

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 ounces chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 2 ounces heavy cream

Yogurt Brulee

• 1 pound (16 ounces; 454 grams) plain Greek yogurt, preferably full-fat
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 6 tablespoons organic cane sugar or turbinado sugar
• fresh berries for serving (optional)

Instructions

Make the ganache:

1. Add the chocolate and cream to a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly over low heat just until the chocolate is melted.
2. Divide the ganache evenly between 4 6-ounce round ramekins. Tilt the ramekins to let the ganache spread evenly across the bottom of each.
3. Place on a baking sheet and chill for 1 hour to let the chocolate set.

Make the yogurt custard:

1. Stir the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla paste together in a medium mixing bowl and divide evenly between the 4 ramekins, smoothing the top of each.
2. (If making in advance, refrigerate at this stage for up to 24 hours.)
3. One ramekin at a time, sprinkle a generous layer of cane sugar or turbinado sugar over the yogurt. You'll need about 1 1/2 tablespoons per ramekin.
4. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch or by placing the ramekins under the oven broiler and heating the sugar until a bubbling and bronzed layer of hard caramel forms.
5. Cool the ramekins on a wire rack for 10 minutes to let the sugar harden. Serve with fresh berries, if desired.

Notes

Adapted from The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 272Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 26gProtein: 7g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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