Silky Creamy Classic Crema Catalana
A silky, creamy Spanish dessert featuring a velvety custard infused with cinnamon and lemon zest, topped with a crackling caramelized sugar crust. Perfect for any occasion and easy to make at home.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and steep for 15 minutes.
- Whisk together egg yolks, half of the granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl until smooth and slightly pale, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove cinnamon stick and lemon zest from the milk mixture. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
- Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and sides. Cook for 8-10 minutes until custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let custard cool slightly, then pour into ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Refrigerate the ramekins for at least 4 hours or overnight to set the custard.
- Before serving, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar evenly over each custard. Use a culinary torch to caramelize the sugar until golden and crackly. Alternatively, place ramekins under a hot broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
Do not skip straining the custard mixture for a silky smooth texture. Stir continuously while cooking to avoid lumps and curdling. Use a culinary torch for best caramelized sugar crust results, but a broiler can be used as a substitute. Let the custard chill fully for best texture. Room temperature eggs improve texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ramekin (about 1/6
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Protein: 6
Keywords: Crema Catalana, Spanish dessert, custard, caramelized sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, easy dessert, creamy custard