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Crema Catalana (Catalan Cream)
Spain · Sweet Dishes · Vegetarian

Crema Catalana (Catalan Cream)

The classic Spanish custard dessert with a silky vanilla and citrus cream base topped with a crackling caramel crust. Made with egg yolks, milk, and cream, it is chilled overnight then caramelized with a kitchen torch just before serving.

240 min 250 kcal 5 serves Advanced🌿Vegetarian🇪🇸Spain★★★★★4.6· 5 reviews

Ingredients

ServingsMetric
  • 250 mlmilk
  • 250 gheavy cream
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 22 gcornstarch
  • 85 gsugar
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 2 tbspsugar for caramelizing

Method

  1. Combine milk, cream, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla pod in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until just below boiling. Remove from heat, cover, and infuse 10–15 minutes. Remove vanilla pod and zest.
  2. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks until pale and fluffy. Mix in cornstarch. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
  3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Return to a clean saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened enough to coat the spoon, about 8–10 minutes. Do not boil.
  4. Pour into small ramekins. Cool to room temperature, then cover with film and refrigerate at least 3–4 hours, ideally overnight.
  5. Just before serving, sprinkle an even thin layer of sugar over each portion. Caramelize with a kitchen torch until a crisp golden crust forms, or place briefly under a hot grill.
    Crema Catalana (Catalan Cream) — step 5

FAQ

The main difference is the base: crema catalana is made with milk and cornstarch and is not baked in the oven — it sets on the stovetop like a custard. Creme brulee uses pure cream and is baked in a water bath. Crema catalana is simpler: no oven, no water bath, no ramekins required. Just a saucepan, refrigerator, and a kitchen torch. In texture, catalana is slightly firmer with a fresh lemon aroma.

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Comments (1)

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  • Sergei MartynovAuthor
    29d ago

    I use a kitchen torch, not a broiler, for the sugar crust on crema catalana. A torch gives you precise control — you can get that crackly caramel layer without warming the custard underneath. The contrast between cold cream and hot, brittle sugar is the entire point of this dessert.