Crema Catalana (Spanish version of Creme Brulee)

Published on 12 March 2020 | In | By
    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes
    • Yield
    • 4

The Catalans of Spain will claim that the French stole the recipe of crema catalana to make creme brulee.  I don’t know the history, but I do know that I prefer crema catalana to creme brulee.  In actual fact, I will go so far as to say that crema catalana is my favourite dessert.

It is not baked liked creme brulee, so the consistency is a little bit more gloopy, which I prefer, and I also like to citrus notes that go with it.  It really is a very refreshing dessert, especially after a heavy meal.

I also like to fact that the crispy sugar topping is not usually as thick as with creme brulee.

And to boot – it is less tricky to make than creme brulee!

TOP TIP: In most creme catalana recipes it calls for corn flour.  I replace this with potato flour.  For me it gives a better texture and taste.

NOTE: You will be left with the yolks of 4 eggs.  Use these to make a Soufflé or Meringue or egg-white scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups full cream Milk
  • 1 Vanilla Bean split lenght-ways
  • 1 (5cm) cinnamon stick
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • Zest of 1/4 orange
  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 90g Icing Sugar
  • 30g Potato Flour (or 40g Corn Flour)
  • Brown sugar for caramelised topping
  • 2 Cups full cream Milk
  • 1 Vanilla Bean split lenght-ways
  • 1 (5cm) cinnamon stick
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • Zest of 1/4 orange
  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 90g Icing Sugar
  • 30g Potato Flour (or 40g Corn Flour)
  • Brown sugar for caramelised topping
  • 2 Cups full cream Milk
  • 1 Vanilla Bean split lenght-ways
  • 1 (5cm) cinnamon stick
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • Zest of 1/4 orange
  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 90g Icing Sugar
  • 30g Potato Flour (or 40g Corn Flour)
  • Brown sugar for caramelised topping

Instructions

  1. Place the milk, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, lemon and orange zest into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, and then strain and set aside to cool.
  2. Whist the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the eggs are pale yellow and creamy.
  3. Add the potato flour and mix well.
  4. Slowly add the milk mixture stirring all the time so that the egg yolks do not "scramble". Continue until all the milk is added to the egg mixture.
  5. Add the mixture to a clean saucepan and heat slowly over a medium heat on the stove, stirring continuously to ensure that the eggs do not "scramble". If the mixture becomes very thick you can add some more milk or cream to loosen it, but careful not to use too much.
  6. REMEMBER you need to stir it continuously during the cooking stage. Just before it starts to boil remove from the heat - if it boils it will curdle. You should be left with a viscous (thick liquid), silky cream.
  7. Pour into 185 ml ramekins (I use traditional terracotta ramekins from Spain), and set in the fridge to cool down. Leave for at least 4 hours.
  8. Just before you are ready to serve sprinkle a table spoon (Tbsp) of the brown sugar over each dessert and caramelise the sugar with a kitchen blow torch. If you do not have a blow torch you can heat a spoon until it is piping hot (hold with oven gloves) and press it gently onto the sugar to caramelise it. (If cannot make the crispy part, I just eat the creme catalana's just like that...they are still delicious).
  9. Serve with raspberries and caramelised oranges.
  10. Place the milk, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, lemon and orange zest into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, and then strain and set aside to cool.
  11. Whist the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the eggs are pale yellow and creamy.
  12. Add the potato flour and mix well.
  13. Slowly add the milk mixture stirring all the time so that the egg yolks do not "scramble". Continue until all the milk is added to the egg mixture.
  14. Add the mixture to a clean saucepan and heat slowly over a medium heat on the stove, stirring continuously to ensure that the eggs do not "scramble". If the mixture becomes very thick you can add some more milk or cream to loosen it, but careful not to use too much.
  15. REMEMBER you need to stir it continuously during the cooking stage. Just before it starts to boil remove from the heat - if it boils it will curdle. You should be left with a viscous (thick liquid), silky cream.
  16. Pour into 185 ml ramekins (I use traditional terracotta ramekins from Spain), and set in the fridge to cool down. Leave for at least 4 hours.
  17. Just before you are ready to serve sprinkle a table spoon (Tbsp) of the brown sugar over each dessert and caramelise the sugar with a kitchen blow torch. If you do not have a blow torch you can heat a spoon until it is piping hot (hold with oven gloves) and press it gently onto the sugar to caramelise it. (If cannot make the crispy part, I just eat the creme catalana's just like that...they are still delicious).
  18. Serve with raspberries and caramelised oranges.
  19. Place the milk, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, lemon and orange zest into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, and then strain and set aside to cool.
  20. Whist the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the eggs are pale yellow and creamy.
  21. Add the potato flour and mix well.
  22. Slowly add the milk mixture stirring all the time so that the egg yolks do not "scramble". Continue until all the milk is added to the egg mixture.
  23. Add the mixture to a clean saucepan and heat slowly over a medium heat on the stove, stirring continuously to ensure that the eggs do not "scramble". If the mixture becomes very thick you can add some more milk or cream to loosen it, but careful not to use too much.
  24. REMEMBER you need to stir it continuously during the cooking stage. Just before it starts to boil remove from the heat - if it boils it will curdle. You should be left with a viscous (thick liquid), silky cream.
  25. Pour into 185 ml ramekins (I use traditional terracotta ramekins from Spain), and set in the fridge to cool down. Leave for at least 4 hours.
  26. Just before you are ready to serve sprinkle a table spoon (Tbsp) of the brown sugar over each dessert and caramelise the sugar with a kitchen blow torch. If you do not have a blow torch you can heat a spoon until it is piping hot (hold with oven gloves) and press it gently onto the sugar to caramelise it. (If cannot make the crispy part, I just eat the creme catalana's just like that...they are still delicious).
  27. Serve with raspberries and caramelised oranges.