Crema catalana is a silky, creamy Spanish custard dessert that does not require baking and is topped with a crisp brûléed sugar topping similar to creme brûlée. It is made with basic ingredients and flavored with fresh orange peel and a cinnamon stick to give it beautiful warmly spiced citrus notes that made it stand apart from its French counterpart.
If you are looking for a soft and creamy custard that can be made ahead and enjoyed chilled on a hot summer evening then you are going to love this one.
Let’s get started…
To get started, you will need whole milk, some fresh orange peel, a cinnamon stick or two, large egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch and sea salt.
If this recipe seems similar to many other custard recipes, thats because it is! Most custard recipes are similar – whole milk, egg yolks and granulated sugar – with varying amounts and techniques to create unique textures and consistencies.
A solid ratio for the best crema catalana is 1 cup of whole milk and 2 large egg yolks per serving, so this recipe is pretty easy to scale.
Begin by combining 2 cups of whole milk with 3 large strips of orange peel and a cinnamon stick in a saucepan and place it over medium heat.
Bring the milk up to the point at which is begins to steam and little bubbles begin to form around the edges of the saucepan and then transfer it off of the heat. We do not want the milk to boil. We just want it really warm.
Note: Be sure to discard the orange peels and cinnamon stick before the next step.
Now that the milk is warm, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 5 teaspoons of cornstarch and a pinch of sea salt until fully combined.
Slowly drizzle small amounts of the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously until it has all been combined.
Note: Do not add all of the warm milk in at once or you will scramble the egg yolks and we definitely do not want this to happen. If you drizzle it in very slowly, a little at a time, you will be rewarded with a beautiful custard. No scrambled eggs.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium low heat. Cook the mixture while stirring consistently until it thickens into a thick custard.
This can take 30 seconds or it could take 3 minutes depending on so many variables – the size of your egg yolks, how carefully you measured your cornstarch, the type of saucepan you use and how hot your stovetop gets. The bottom line is that it will thicken eventually, so just keep stirring and don’t increase the temperature. Medium low is perfect.
Pour the mixture into 2 individual ramekins and place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the custard lightly pressing it down in contact with the custard. This will help prevent a skin from forming over the custard as it cools, so I highly recommend doing this.
Chill the creme catalana for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
Right before you are ready to serve your creme catalana, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle a layer of granulated sugar over the top. Use a chefs torch to brûlée the granulated sugar until it is all bubbly and crisp.
I also like to add a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh orange segments to really drive home the citrus flavors in this beautiful dessert.
If you are a fan of creme brûlée, you are going to love this crema catalana. It is a more silky, creamy version of the French classic with such beautiful citrus and cinnamon flavors that you are definitely going to fall in love with this Spanish treat.
Crema Catalana
Ingredients
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 3 large strips of orange peel
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 5 teaspoons of cornstarch
- a pinch of sea salt
- granulated sugar (for brûléeing)
Instructions
- Add 2 cups of whole milk, 3 large strips of orange peel and a cinnamon stick in a saucepan placed over medium heat and as soon as the mixture begins to simmer turn the heat off
- While the milk mixture is warming, whisk 4 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 5 teaspoons of cornstarch and a pinch of sea salt in a large bowl
- Discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick from the milk mixture
- Add a splash of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks and whisk vigorously
- Continue slowly adding a bit of the milk mixture into the egg yolks constantly whisking in between each addition until they are fully combined
- Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium low heat
- Cook while stirring for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture thickens to a custard like consistency and then transfer off of the heat
- Optionally, pour the mixture through a mesh strainer to ensure your crema catalana is smooth
- Divide the mixture evenly between ramekins, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the top surface of the custard and chill for 4 hours or longer
- When ready to serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and dust the top of the custard with a layer of granulated sugar
- Use a chefs torch to brûlée the sugar until golden brown and crisp
- Optionally, garnish with whipped cream and fresh orange segments
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