O
ne thing I absolutely adore about holidays in Spain is indulging in long and leisurely lunches. Exploring the menú del día, it’s safe to say that a crema catalana awaits for dessert in nine out of ten cases. This delightful custard pudding is delicately scented with citrus and cinnamon. While it shares similarities with the beloved creme brulee, the key differences lie in its thickening agent, cornflour, and its no-bake nature. These distinctions make the preparation process of crema catalana slightly more forgiving and significantly faster.
Crema catalana
Prep 5 min
Infuse 20 min
Cook 30 min
Chill 3 hr+
Makes 4
550ml milk
1 cinnamon stick
Pared zest of ½ orange
Pared zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
A pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
80g caster sugar, plus extra to finish
2 tbsp cornflour
Begin by pouring the milk into a small saucepan, then add the cinnamon stick, orange and lemon peel, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt. Place the saucepan over gentle heat and warm it until the milk is hot and steaming, but make sure it doesn’t start to bubble. Next, remove the saucepan from the heat, transfer the milk into a bowl, cover it, and allow it to infuse for approximately 20 minutes. Afterward, strain the milk back into the saucepan, leaving the aromatics behind.
Reheat the milk until it is hot but not boiling. In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, caster sugar, and cornflour, whisking until smooth. Gradually add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Once fully combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a low to medium heat, stirring constantly. The custard will begin to thicken and form a coating on the back of the spoon, as well as produce gentle bubbles. At this stage, pass the custard through a sieve into four ramekins.
To prevent a skin from forming, place a circle of greaseproof paper or clingfilm directly on the surface of each custard. Allow the custards to cool completely at room temperature, and then transfer them to the refrigerator to chill for a duration of three to four hours, or until fully set.
When ready to serve, sprinkle a generous amount of caster sugar onto the tops of the custards. Place them under a hot grill or use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar, creating a delightful crispy crust.
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