Cook and Scale
Crema Catalana
6 servings · 30 min total
Silky citrus-and-cinnamon custard beneath a brittle caramelized sugar crust — Catalonia's beloved answer to crème brûlée.
Ingredients
- 6 dl milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, stick
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 6 egg yolk
- 120 g white sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 80 g white sugar, for the crust
Contains: Milk, Egg
Allergen info is best-effort — please verify yourself.
Method
- 1.
Infuse the spiced milk — Heat the milk with the cinnamon stick, lemon zest and orange zest in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes, then strain.
- 2.
Whisk the custard base — Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and smooth. Gradually whisk in the warm infused milk.
- 3.
Thicken the custard gently — Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes until it thickly coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
- 4.
Chill until set — Pour into shallow ramekins and let cool, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
- 5.
Caramelize the sugar crust — Just before serving, sprinkle an even layer of sugar over each custard and caramelize with a kitchen torch (or under a hot broiler) until the sugar forms a brittle, deep amber crust.