Low-Fat Creme Brulee with Berries

I was contemplating giving up desserts. What? Am I out of my mind? Desserts are one of the best things in life! So, I am determined to find some healthy desserts that I can continue to enjoy and not compromise my diet goals. This turned out to be a very elegant dessert and at only around 100-150 calories, one I will make again!





I have never made creme brulee before. I love ordering it at restaurants. I have a very cool Williams Sonoma kitchen torch that has been collecting dust since my husband bought it for me several years ago. This was my first try and I think they turned out well. I may need to perfect my sugar broiling technique, but it sure was a lot of fun to use the torch for the first time! There is no picture (they were gorgeous) because I had no idea not to broil the sugar in advance on the ones we would eat later in the week and stored in the refrigerator. I thought I would take a photo later and the sugar turned to a brown liquid. Lesson learned: don't apply the sugar topping until you are ready to eat that day!
Low-Fat Creme Brulee with Raspberries

(Art Smith recipe as featured on Oprah)


Serves 6 (My ramekins must have been smaller than his as this filled 8 of mine)


1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I would suggest adding more extract)
2 cups 2% milk (I used 1 percent for additional calorie reduction)
1 cup low-fat egg substitute, like Egg Beaters
4 Tablesppons granulated sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping
1/2 pint raspberries (there were no good raspberries to be found, we used blackberries)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If using a vanilla bean, cut bean in half lenthwise and take knife and scrape out all of the seed. Set aside. In a bowl, combine the milk, vanilla bean seeds or extract,egg substitute and granulated sugar. Beat well. Pour the mixture through a sieve and strain well.


Divide the berries evenly amoung six 4-ounce broiler safe ramekins (mine are smaller so this recipe made 8 servings). Pour the custard mixture over the berries. Place the dishes in a large 13-by-9 inch pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the pan until halfway up the sides of the dishes. PLace in the oven and bake 40-45 minutes until the custard centers are set, but still soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow the costard to cool. PLace in the refrigerator and chill well, or even better, overnight.


Preheat the oven broiler to high (or use kitchen torch). Sprinkle sugar evenly over the tops of custards. Place the cups on a baking sheet and broil 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar ecarmelizes (melts and browns slightly). You may have to move the custards around to get even carmelization. Refrigerate about 15 minutes to set.