Crema Catalana
Citrus-and-cinnamon custard under a crackling burnt sugar top.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 500 ml Milk
- 5 Egg yolk
- 120 g Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 Orange
Method
- Warm the milk gently over low heat with the cinnamon stick and orange zest, then take it off the heat and let it sit a few minutes to take on the flavour.
- Whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until smooth.
- Pour the warm milk into the yolks a little at a time, whisking constantly so the eggs do not scramble, then return to low heat and cook gently, stirring all the while, until thick.
- Pour into dishes and chill until set, at least 3 hours.
- Sprinkle with sugar and caramelise the top until it crackles, then serve.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Crema Catalana
Crema Catalana is the Spanish cousin of crème brûlée, a citrus-scented custard that tastes brighter and less heavy than its French relative. Milk is infused with cinnamon stick and orange zest, steep and fragrant, then whisked into egg yolks and cornstarch to create a custard that's thick, glossy, and set by cook on the stovetop rather than in an oven. The cornstarch keeps things stable and gives the custard a distinctive silky texture that's different from a cream-based brûlée—it's more custardy, more cake-like.
The real performance is the finish: a sprinkle of sugar caramelized with a blowtorch or under a hot broiler until it crackles, then shattered by the spoon as you eat. The burnt sugar gives a bitter-sweet contrast to the mild custard beneath, and the citrus and cinnamon make it taste almost savory beneath the sweetness. Three hours of chilling is the only wait, and then you have a showstopping dessert that seems more complicated than it is. Serve it cold, the contrast of cold custard against warm brittle sugar the whole point of the thing.
Crema Catalana: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between crema catalana and crème brûlée?
Both are custards topped with a hard caramelized-sugar crust, but crema catalana (from Catalonia, Spain) is thickened with cornstarch and set on the stovetop, flavored with citrus zest and cinnamon, and served chilled without baking. Crème brûlée (from France) is a richer baked custard made with egg yolks and heavy cream, set in a water bath in the oven, and traditionally flavored with vanilla. In short: crema catalana is a lighter, milk-based, stovetop custard, while crème brûlée is a denser, cream-and-yolk custard baked in the oven.
How many calories are in Crema Catalana?
One serving of Crema Catalana has about 308 calories, with 8g of protein, 46g of carbs, 10g of fat and 1g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Crema Catalana gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Crema Catalana has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Crema Catalana dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Milk. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Crema Catalana take to make?
About 30 minutes start to finish, but only around 21 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Crema Catalana make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.