Crema Catalana
By Culiora
Crema Catalana is Spain's classic custard dessert, infused with cinnamon and citrus peel. Cooked on the stovetop and traditionally thickened with cornstarch rather than baked in a water bath, it yields a silky-smooth cream topped with a crisp, freshly caramelized sugar crust.
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 15 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Total time: 35 min
Ingredients
- 5 pcs egg yolks
- 5 dl whole milk (3% fat)
- 100 g granulated sugar (for the custard)
- 25 g cornstarch
- 1 pcs cinnamon stick
- 1 pcs strip of organic lemon peel (yellow part only)
- 1 pcs strip of organic orange peel (orange part only)
- 3-4 tbsp granulated sugar (for the topping)
Instructions
- Pour 4.5 dl of the milk into a saucepan along with the cinnamon stick and the lemon and orange peels. Heat over medium heat until it just reaches a simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover with a lid, and let infuse for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 0.5 dl of cold milk in a small bowl until completely smooth and free of lumps.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 100 g granulated sugar with a hand whisk for about 2 minutes until pale and slightly airy. Whisk in the dissolved cornstarch mixture.
- Strain the citrus peels and cinnamon stick out of the warm milk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula or whisk—especially along the bottom to prevent scorching. Let the custard gently simmer until it thickens properly, about 3–5 minutes. Do not let it boil vigorously.
- Divide the custard evenly among 4 shallow ramekins (preferably traditional terracotta dishes or shallow dishes). Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set completely.
- Just before serving, take the dishes out of the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar over each custard. Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen blowtorch until hard and golden brown. Let sit for 1–2 minutes so the sugar hardens into a crisp shell before serving.