Looking for a simple yet impressive dessert recipe for New Year's Eve dinner or another special occasion? This silky, tropical-flavored caramel pudding is made with just a few ingredients, offering a delicious and refreshing taste. What makes it truly outstanding is that it can be prepared a day in advance.
Before you start
make ahead Make the set custard up to 3 days before serving, then cover and chill.
know-how If you don’t have a blowtorch, sprinkle the brûlée with a thick layer of sugar and put under a medium-high grill until caramelised (take care with the hot dish).
Ingredients
- 100g desiccated coconut
- 100ml coconut milk
- 400ml double cream
- 8 passion fruit
- 100g caster sugar, plus extra to caramelise the top
- 6 large egg yolks
Specialist kit
- 600ml ovenproof dish
- Kitchen blowtorch
Method
- Heat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. Tip the coconut into a dry frying pan set over a medium heat. Cook, stirring, until it turns a deep golden brown (about 5 minutes) – but be careful not to burn it. Turn the heat to low, add the coconut milk and double cream, then stir until it comes back to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Halve the passion fruit and scoop the insides into a heatproof bowl. Whisk in the sugar and egg yolks. Start pouring in the coconut cream mixture a little at a time, whisking constantly, until it’s all combined. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into the ovenproof dish, squeezing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid (and flavour) as possible.
- Put the filled dish in a deep roasting tray, then pour enough just-boiled water from a kettle into the tray to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 45 minutes until just set but with a slight wobble in the middle.
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven, leave the brûlée to sit in the hot water for a few minutes, then carefully lift it out and allow to cool completely. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
- To serve, sprinkle thin layers of sugar over the top of the set custard, then use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar layer by layer (see know-how). As this is a large, wide brûlée (instead of a smaller individual one), it will take more time to get a thick enough layer to set solid – 3-4 layers of caramelised sugar should do it. Bring it to the table for everyone to dig in.
