Lavender Creme Brûlée 
Makes 4 single servings.
This recipe is a wonderful vegan option for the classic creme brûlée which generally uses lots of eggs and cream. Using plant based ingredients instead, it is now cholesterol-free. I infused this recipe with lavender to celebrate spring, but it is absolutely scrumptious without it as well.

PictureFeatured ingredient: Lavender
INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups cold coconut milk, divided (almond or rice milk also works well)
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch (can substitute with another starch, if needed)
  • 1 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • 3 tablespoons cashew butter 
  • ¼ cup organic raw cane light brown sugar or xylitol
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons agar flakes OR 1½ teaspoons Vegeset 
  •  ½ ounce dried lavender flower placed in cheese cloth or tea ball
  • Edible flowers (optional): chrysanthemum, carnation, dandelion, impatiens, nasturtium, pansy...    

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a small dish, whisk the starch into ½ cup coconut milk beverage.
  2. In a bowl, combine the remaining 1½ cups milk beverage, coconut milk, cashew butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and agar (or Vegeset). Whiz ingredients in a blender to remove all clumps.
  3. Pour mixture into a medium pot over medium heat. Place bag or tea ball of lavender into mixture. Whisk continuously while bringing the mixture to nearly boiling, careful not to break apart lavender sachet.
  4. Slowly, whisk in the coconut milk-starch mixture.
  5. Continue cooking while whisking for about 3 minutes being careful that the mixture doesn’t boil but stays very hot. It will thicken quickly.
  6. Remove lavender sachet.
  7. Pour the mixture into four crème brûlée dishes or ramekins, they will be quite full, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  8. Just before serving, remove the crème brulees from the refrigerator and let them stand for 5 to 10 minutes to warm up the dishes slightly.
  9. Sprinkle each with 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar over tops and using a torch, melt the sugar to form a crispy layer on top. If you don't have a torch, position a rack on the top level in your oven. Turn the oven on to broil, and place the ramekins under the broiler for 2 minutes (this method may soften the crème brûlée a touch).
  10. Garnish with edible flowers.
  11. Enjoy!