Spanish

Crema Catalana

Name: Crema Catalana
Total time: 280 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 500ml whole milk; 4 large egg yolks, room temperature; 100g granulated sugar (plus extra for caramelizing); 20g cornstarch (Maizena); 1 cinnamon stick; Zest of 1/2 lemon (peeled in strips, no pith); Zest of 1/2 orange (peeled in strips, no pith)

Silky custard scented with citrus zest and cinnamon, finished with a crackly caramelised sugar crust — Catalonia's answer to crème brûlée.

280 minutes

Serves 8

Dessert

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

6 steps

1
Infuse the Milk: In a medium saucepan, combine 400ml of the milk, the cinnamon stick, and the lemon and orange zests. Heat over medium until it just reaches a simmer, then remove from heat. Cover and let it infuse for 20 minutes.

2
Prepare the Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 100ml of cold milk until completely smooth.
3
Whisk the Yolks: In a separate large bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and 100g of sugar until the mixture becomes pale yellow and slightly thickened. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
4
Temper and Thicken: Strain the infused milk, discarding the aromatics. Slowly stream the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan.
5
Cook the Custard: Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Do not let it boil.
6
Chill and Caramelize: Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into shallow clay ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface and chill for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar over each ramekin and use a culinary torch to melt it into a dark, crispy caramel crust.

Unlock the full recipe

Get every step for Crema Catalana — plus exact amounts and 2,000+ more recipes — with Listahan Pro.

Unlock in app Get Listahan free

30-day free trial · cancel anytime

Plan it in Listahan

Add Crema Catalana to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.

Open in app iOS (Beta) Android (Beta)

More Spanish recipes

Spanish

Paella Valenciana

Spain's iconic saffron-scented rice, slow-cooked with chicken, rabbit, and sweet snap peas until a golden crust forms on the bottom.

60 min Serves 4

No common allergens

Spanish

Gazpacho

Chilled and silky, this Andalusian tomato soup bursts with raw cucumber, garlic, and olive oil — refreshing on a warm day and ready in minutes.

15 min Serves 4

No common allergens

Spanish

Tortilla Española

Golden outside and custardy within, this classic Spanish omelette layers tender potato and sweet onion into something far greater than the sum of its parts.

45 min Serves 4

Egg

Browse all Spanish recipes