Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana

A traditional Catalan custard flavored with lemon zest and cinnamon, finished with a brittle caramelized sugar crust. Older than crème brûlée, it is one of Catalonia's most iconic desserts and is especially associated with Saint Joseph's Day (March 19).

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups) whole milk, traditionally cow's milk; some recipes use a splash (60 ml) of cream
• •1 piece lemon peel, wide strip of yellow zest only, no white pith
• •1 stick cinnamon stick, or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon if a stick is unavailable
• •5 large egg yolks
• •100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar, for the custard, plus 4 tsp (about 16 g) per ramekin for the crust
• •15 (2 tbsp) cornstarch, traditional recipes use only yolks; cornstarch gives a more reliable set for home cooks
• •1 pinch fine salt

Steps

1. 1 Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan and add the lemon peel, cinnamon stick, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium until small bubbles form at the edge (about 80 °C / 175 °F), then remove from the heat, cover, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Pick out the lemon peel and cinnamon stick.
2. 2 Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the 100 g sugar and the cornstarch in a bowl until the mixture is pale, thick, and ribbony, about 2 minutes by hand.
3. 3 Temper the yolks by slowly pouring about one-third of the hot infused milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Then whisk the warmed yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
4. 4 Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and corners, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and briefly holds a line drawn through it with your finger, about 5–8 minutes. Do not let it boil or the yolks will curdle; if you see lumps, strain immediately.
5. 5 Pour the custard into 4 shallow earthenware cazuelas or ramekins (about 120 ml / 1/2 cup each). Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, so the custard is fully set.
6. 6 To serve, sprinkle 1 level tsp (about 4 g) of sugar evenly over each custard. Tip the ramekin to spread the sugar into a thin, complete layer; pour off any excess so the crust will crack cleanly.
7. 7 Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen torch, holding the flame 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) from the surface and moving it in small circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep amber. Let the crust harden for 1 minute before serving. Alternatively, place under a hot broiler 10 cm (4 inches) from the element for 3–5 minutes; watch closely.
8. 8 Serve at once, while the custard is cold and the crust is crisp.