Spanish Crema Catalana Recipe

Crema Catalana is one of the most popular desserts in Spain. It is not only delicious but also easy to make. Check out our Spanish Crema Catalana recipe.

What is Crema Catalana?

Crema Catalana is a typical dessert from the Spanish region of Catalonia. It is made from milk and thickened with cornstarch and egg yolks.

Read also: Traditional Spanish Desserts

Ingredients to prepare traditional Catalan Cream

• 2 1/4 cups (500 milliliters) of milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• The peel of half a lemon and half an orange
• 4 egg yolks
• 0.5 ounces (15 grams) of cornstarch
• 2.1 ounces (60 grams) of sugar, plus 1-2 tablespoons per serving to caramelize on top

Tips to prepare Crema Catalana

• Caramelize the sugar just before serving the Catalan Cream so that it is crisp when you serve it.
• Use whole milk for a creamy Crema Catalana.
• Refrigerate the Catalan Cream for at least four hours (even better overnight) before serving.
• Decorate the Creme Catalana with berries or fruits.

How to caramelize the Crema Catalana without a kitchen blowtorch?

If you don’t have a kitchen blowtorch at home, you can also caramelize the Crema Catalana in the oven.

Put the serving bowls with the Crema Catalana (important: Ensure that your dish is oven safe!) under the broiler until the sugar starts melting and crystallizing. Keep a close eye on it, as it can burn really quickly!

How to prepare our Crema Catalana Recipe

1. Remove the peel from half an orange and half a lemon. Make sure to actually only remove the most superficial part and not the bitter, white part.

2. Add 2 1/4 cups (500 milliliters) of milk, one cinnamon stick, and the orange and lemon peel to a pot. Heat the milk over medium heat.

Before it starts to boil (you will see that there are small bubbles on the surface), remove the pot from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, add four egg yolks together with 2.1 ounces (60 grams) of sugar and 0.5 ounces (15 grams) of cornstarch to a bowl. Mix everything until the mixture becomes creamy.

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4. Pour the infused milk little by little through a strainer into the bowl so that the peels and the cinnamon stick remain in it. Stir the mixture.

5. Add the mixture to the pot and heat it over medium heat without stopping to stir it to avoid sticking to the pot.

6. Be patient because it takes a few minutes; you will finally see that it begins to thicken almost suddenly. Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat.

7. Add the mixture into small bowls in which you are going to serve it. The most traditional way is to serve the Crema Catalana in clay pots.

8. Let the Catalan Cream cool down to room temperature. Afterward, cover it with plastic wrap (directly over the Creme Catalana) and store it in the fridge for at least four hours (ideally overnight!).

9. Before serving the Crema Catalana, sprinkle sugar on top (between one and two tablespoons per bowl). Caramelize the sugar with a kitchen blowtorch.

10. Optional: Top with fresh fruits or berries like raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries!

Frequently Asked Questions about Spanish Crema Catalana Recipe

More Spanish Dessert Recipes

• Arroz con Leche (milk rice) – Spanish rice pudding is simple and easy to make and can be served hot or cold, depending on your preference.

• Torrijas – Traditionally, Torrijas are made of a slice of stale bread soaked in milk that is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, and the likes. It is then re-soaked in a bowl of the beaten egg before being fried in olive oil. Torrijas are served with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

• Spanish Pionono de Santa Fé Recipe – Pionono de Santa Fe is made with a slab of sponge cake dipped in syrup, filled with egg yolk and cinnamon, rolled, and topped with a crown of toasted egg yolk.

• Spanish Trufas de Chocolate (Chocolate Truffles) – One of our most favorite chocolate-based Spanish desserts.

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