The Catalan cream is a spoon dessert originally from Catalonia, a very beautiful and characteristic Spanish region. The recipe is easy and quick, unlike the crème brûlée or crème caramel, the cooking is done on the stove in just a few minutes and the texture is somewhere between custard and pastry cream. The traditional recipe is flavored with citrus and cinnamon and topped with a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar, a true delight!
Like all traditional recipes, there are many variations and each family has its own secret. Catalan cream is a simple dessert with exquisite taste that can be enriched with blueberries or raspberries, the acidic note of these fruits pairs divinely with the sweetness of the cream, I remember enjoying it often during my trips to Spain, and today I propose you the most known version.
The ingredients are very few, I recommend using quality products and everyone will ask for seconds!
The milk should be whole to achieve the right consistency and creaminess. Unlike crème brûlée, this recipe does not require cream.
The yolks should be fresh, avoid eggs close to expiration when making creams, as they give a heavier taste and are less safe.
The sugar I use is fine sugar, which dissolves quickly and doesn’t leave lumps in the cream.
The cornstarch is used as a thickener, it gives creaminess to the dessert.
Flavors are essential, use organic orange and lemon zest to scent the milk, also add a cinnamon stick or, if you don’t like it, replace it with half a vanilla bean.
If you love creams and want to make desserts in a glass to impress your guests, here are some simple recipes, all perfect as bases for creating spoon desserts.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 192.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 29.12 (g) of which sugars 25.56 (g)
- Proteins 5.05 (g)
- Fat 7.09 (g) of which saturated 3.66 (g)of which unsaturated 3.41 (g)
- Fibers 0.57 (g)
- Sodium 6.29 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 egg yolks (from medium eggs)
- 2 1/2 tbsps cornstarch
- orange zest (2 pieces of zest without the white part)
- lemon zest (2 pieces of zest without the white part)
- Half cinnamon stick (if you don't like it, replace it with half a vanilla bean)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (for caramel on top)
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Peeler
- 1 Torch
- 4 Ramekins for Catalan cream
- 1 Whisk
Method
Making Catalan cream is very simple and quick, and only requires a few easily available ingredients.
Wash the lemon and orange well, use the peeler to take two strips of zest from each fruit avoiding the white part, which would give a bitter taste.
Put the milk in the pan, add the citrus zest, a stick (about 2 inches) of cinnamon or, if you don’t like it, replace it with half a vanilla bean and turn on the stove, as soon as it comes to a boil, turn off and let it cool slightly.
In a bowl, pour the yolks with the sugar, mix then add the sifted cornstarch and incorporate well.
Remove the cinnamon and citrus zest from the milk then pour it, little by little, over the eggs, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.
Transfer the mixture to the pan and thicken until you get a consistency similar to that of pastry cream.
Pour the cream into terracotta or ceramic ramekins, cover with plastic wrap in contact with the cream, and let it rest in the fridge for about 4 hours.
When you need to serve the dessert, remove the plastic wrap, spread a thin layer of brown sugar on the surface and caramelize it with the torch.
The caramel cannot be made before serving because, being in contact with the cream, it melts quickly.
The Catalan cream is ready, serve it immediately.
Tips
Storage
Catalan cream keeps in the fridge, well covered, for 4 days
To prevent the sugar on top from melting, caramelize the surface only before serving.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is the difference between Catalan cream and crème brûlée?
The Catalan cream is similar to pastry cream, it is cooked in a saucepan, chilled in the fridge, and then caramelized, while crème brûlée is baked in the oven. They are completely different preparations; the first is very quick and perfect even in summer, the second is longer and requires baking.
How many ingredients are in Catalan cream?
Actually, the ingredients are similar to those of pastry cream, there are 4 ingredients to which flavors are added. Milk, sugar, yolks, cornstarch, and the aromatic part which usually involves cinnamon, lemon, and orange zest
What is the difference between pastry cream and Catalan cream?
The ingredients are similar, Catalan cream is thickened only with a larger amount of cornstarch to make it more “pudding-like” and dense. Pastry cream is thickened with cornstarch and rice starch, although some still use flour.
