We absolutely love the grassy and bittersweet flavour of matcha powder, and we have used it in so many recipes, from cakes and cookies to sorbets and granola bars.
So, after the success of our coffee flan, we decided to make a green tea flan inspired by the classic Japanese matcha pudding recipe.
As our mission here at Foodaciously is to help everyone enjoy the food they love without compromise, we made these creme caramels without dairy products, eggs, and refined sugars. Instead, our puddings are vegan and sugar-free, prepared with silken tofu and erythritol and topped with healthy homemade date caramel.
While the classic flan relies on cooked eggs for structure, we combined the power of tofu and vegan gelatine to get the same result.
Moreover, instead of preparing the caramel with the classic water and white sugar solution, we started from raw pitted dates. We extracted a naturally sweet syrup from them and turned it into a thick caramel. Date caramel is much healthier than the classic version and has a more natural flavour.
Prepared this way, our matcha flans have half the fats, four times fewer sugars, and almost a third of the calories compared to non-vegan creme caramels. We broke down the recipe in simple instructions, so all is left to do is follow along below and have fun!
Can I prepare it ahead?
Creme caramel is one of those desserts perfect for making in advance as they have to be chilled until firm and served cold.
So, you can prepare these green tea flans the day before, leave them in the fridge overnight, and serve them for lunch the next day.
How long does this matcha flan last?
When stored properly, these puddings can last up to 3 days.
We recommend you keep them inside the ramekins wrapped in cling film until you're ready to serve them.
If you want to store them after popping them out of their moulds, transfer them into an airtight container and keep in the fridge. However, with time the caramel will slowly trickle over the edges and get dispersed in the box. If this happens, top them with more caramel before serving.
What can I use instead of erythritol?
Erythritol is a zero-calorie sweetener perfect for preparing sugar-free desserts like these matcha flans.
To keep this recipe low in sugars, you can swap it with Stevia, another sweetener, or use maple syrup instead.
Ingredients
| Date Caramel | |
| Pitted Dates | 200 g |
| Water | 400 mL |
| Pudding | |
| Silken Tofu | 260 g |
| Almond Milk | 500 mL |
| Erythritol | 70 g |
| Vegan Gelatine | 7 g |
| Matcha Powder | 1 tbsp |
Step 1
Add the pitted dates to a saucepan along with the given water. Bring to a boil and simmer covered, over low heat, for 15 minutes (1).
Then, transfer all into a food processor and blitz into a smooth pulp (2).
Step 2
Now, transfer a few ladles of the date cream into a nut bag or cheesecloth and squeeze it tightly to extract the syrupy water into a bowl.
Repeat this step until you have used all the date pulp.
Step 3
Next, pour the date syrup into a saucepan making sure the liquid is not more than 1/2 cm (1/5 inch) deep. So we recommend using a larger pot or doing this step in batches.
Bring the syrup to a gentle boil over low heat and then increase to medium heat.
Allow simmering until the whole surface is covered with frothy bubbles and the syrup has darkened, about 7 minutes. Don't stir the liquid while it cooks, swirl the pan around instead.
To harden the caramel, transfer the pot into a bowl filled with cold water and whisk vigorously.
Now, divide the date caramel among ramekins and place them in the fridge.
Step 4
Meanwhile, let's prepare the matcha pudding.
Blitz the silken tofu in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
Then, transfer it into a saucepan along with almond milk and erythritol.
Whisk well and stir in the vegan gelatine.
Heat the mixture until it reaches the boiling point and then add the matcha powder whisking until dissolved.
Step 5
Leave the pudding mixture to cool down in the pot, covered, for 15 minutes.
Then, pour it into the ramekins over the caramel layer.
Refrigerate the flans for 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Step 6
Once the puddings are firm, take them out of the fridge and place them in a bowl with cold water.
This will help to pop out the flans out of their mould more easily.
Then, run the tip of a knife along the ramekin edge and flip the flan upside down on a dessert plate.
Gently tap and shake the ramekin before lifting it. If you have any caramel left in the ramekin, then scoop in out over the flan.
Finally, dust the vegan flans with extra matcha powder and serve.
Tips
Add vanilla or almond extract to the pudding for extra flavour.