Homemade Spanish Crema Catalana Recipe

A delicious homemade Crema Catalana recipe, topped with fresh fruit!

4.92 from 49 votes

Course: Dessert Cuisine: Spanish Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes Servings: 6 people Calories: 195.57kcal Author: Lauren Aloise

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of cornstarch (15g)
2 1/2 cups of whole milk (600 ml)
A big slice of peel from a lemon and an orange note: not the zest, but rather big slices of
the peel
1 cinnamon stick
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup superfine sugar (100g) if you can't find superfine, don't worry, it'll just be a bit
more grainy
Additional sugar to caramelize on top
Fresh fruit like figs, raspberries or strawberries to top

Instructions
1. Put the milk on the stove in a small saucepan, along with the citrus peels and the
cinnamon stick. Slowly bring to a boil.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in a splash of water and set aside.
3. While the milk is slowly heating, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, until the mixture turns
pale yellow. Beat in the dissolved cornstarch and a spoonful of the hot milk.
4. Remove the citrus peels and cinnamon stick from the hot milk, and lower the heat.
5. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the milk, making sure to keep stirring so that the eggs
 don't scramble!
6. Stir constantly over a low heat, until the mixture has thickened.
7. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into traditional clay dishes or ramekins.
8. Allow the custard to cool, and then cover in plastic wrap and chill the crema catalanas for
about four hours (preferably overnight).
9. Before serving, I like to let mine come to room temperature (unless it's summer-- that
would be too hot!). Then sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on top of each ramekin. Spread the
sugar out by tilting the ramekins in all directions. Caramelize with a small kitchen
blowtorch (though the truly authentic crema catalanas are made with a hot iron (see
photo below).
10. Top with fresh fruit (optional) and enjoy!

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. 
Decorate and serve with seasonal berries or fruit for an extra special effect!

Nutrition
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

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