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shallow dish of crema catalana garnished with raspberries.
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4.94 from 66 votes

Authentic Spanish Crema Catalana Recipe

A delicious and authentic Spanish Crema Catalana recipe, topped with fresh fruit!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Spanish
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 195.57kcal
Author: Lauren Aloise

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 large piece lemon peel including pith
  • 1 large piece orange peel including pith
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup white sugar preferably caster (superfine)
  • additional sugar for caramelization
  • fresh fruit or berries for decoration (optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pour the milk into a small, heavy-based saucepan and set over medium heat. Add the citrus peels and cinnamon stick, then bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.
  • While the milk is heating, dissolve the cornstarch in a splash of water to make a slurry.
  • Beat the egg yolks and sugar with a whisk until turns pale yellow, then beat in the cornstarch slurry and a splash of the hot milk.
  • Remove the citrus peels and cinnamon stick from the hot milk, and slowly pour in the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
  • Turn the heat to low and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency.
  • Remove from the heat and divide the mixture among six 6-ounce ramekins or traditional clay dishes. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of each custard to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Chill the crema catalanas for about 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
  • Once the custards have chilled, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top of each custard. Spread the sugar out by tilting the ramekins in all directions.
  • Caramelize the sugar to the desired color with a small blowtorch. (For an authentic flair, use a hot iron for this step instead.) You can also place the ramekins on a baking tray on the top shelf of the oven and brown the sugar with the grill on the highest setting. Watch carefully, as they can burn in an instant!
  • Top with fresh fruit if desired and enjoy immediately!

Notes

  • Make sure to use whole milk for a creamy crema Catalana. Heavy cream can also be substituted.
  • Make sure to refrigerate for at least four hours so that the Crema Catalana fully sets. 
  • I like bring the custards to room temperature before adding the caramelized sugar layer, unless it's summer.
  • Decorate and serve with seasonal berries or fruit for an extra special effect!

Nutrition

Serving: 1ramekin | Calories: 195.57kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.34g | Protein: 5.68g | Fat: 7.31g | Saturated Fat: 3.33g | Cholesterol: 172.92mg | Sodium: 51.84mg | Potassium: 164.76mg | Fiber: 0.67g | Sugar: 23.45g | Vitamin A: 414.98IU | Vitamin C: 2.91mg | Calcium: 143.92mg | Iron: 0.55mg