Crema Catalana
It’s the citrus in the custard that sets apart this classic Spanish dessert, topped with golden, caramelised sugar. The perfect way to round off a tapas menu
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Prep:10 mins
Cook:20 mins
, plus 30 mins infusing, 1 hr cooling and overnight chilling - Serves 6
- More effort
Nutrition per serving
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kcal 415
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fat 22g
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saturates 12g
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carbs 47g
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sugars 0g
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fibre 0.4g
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protein 6g
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salt 0.12g
Ingredients
- 400ml whole milk
- 150ml double cream
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange , zest pared into strips
- 1 lemon , zest pared into strips
- 7 egg yolks (freeze the whites to use in another recipe)
- 100g caster sugar , plus 6 tbsp for the topping
- 45g cornflour
Method
Put the milk, cream, cinnamon stick and all the citrus zest in a saucepan set over a medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the milk is just steaming but not boiling, about 3-5 mins. Remove from the heat, cover with a plate and leave to infuse for at least 30 mins.
When the cream mixture has infused, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a separate bowl for 3-5 mins, or until light and pale in colour. Pour the infused milk through a sieve into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Return the mixture to the saucepan.
Put the saucepan over a medium-high heat and whisk for around 10-12 mins. The mixture should start thickening to a custard-like consistency – you can tell it’s ready by dipping a wooden spoon in the mixture, then running a finger through the mixture on the back of the spoon. If the line holds, it's ready. Sieve the mixture into a jug to remove any froth.
Divide the custard between six 150ml ramekins or small terracotta dishes, then leave to cool for 1 hr at room temperature until set with a slight wobble. Chill overnight.
Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tbsp caster sugar over the top of each ramekin and caramelise using a kitchen blowtorch. Alternatively, slide the ramekins under a hot grill until the sugar turns golden and starts to bubble. Serve straightaway.
