Crema Catalana

Name: Crema Catalana Recipe with Burnt Sugar Crust
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1½ cups whole milk; 1½ cups heavy cream; 3 large strips lemon peel, white pith removed; 1 cinnamon stick or 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 6 large egg yolks; ¾ cup granulated sugar; 3 tbsp cornstarch; ¼ cup turbinado sugar or granulated sugar, for topping

Crema Catalana is a Spanish custard dessert featuring a silky lemon and cinnamon-infused cream with a shattered caramelized sugar crust. The burnt sugar topping provides an essential textural contrast to the smooth, citrusy custard beneath.

🌍Spanish 🥗Vegetarian 🏷️Dessert 🏷️Slow cook 🏷️Catalan 🏷️Custard

Total

2h 30m

Servings

6

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Recette Magazine

Ingredients

1½ cups whole milk
1½ cups heavy cream
3 large strips lemon peel, white pith removed
1 cinnamon stick or 1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup turbinado sugar or granulated sugar, for topping

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Instructions

1
Combine milk, cream, lemon peel strips, cinnamon stick and vanilla extract to a saucepan. Heat on medium-high stirring constantly until milk is just simmering. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, remove the cinnamon stick, orange, and lemon peels from the milk.
2
Whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until the yolks are a pale yellow. Pour the milk mix into the eggs a little at a time until it's fully incorporated.
3
Pour the custard into 6 broiler-safe ramekins. Add 1" water to a Suvie pan then place the ramekins in the pan. Insert pans into your Suvie, input settings, and cook now or schedule.
4
After the cook, carefully remove the ramekins from the Suvie pan. Pour off water from the Suvie pan and return ramekins to the pan. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the ramekins and put Suvie pan back in Suvie. Broil for 10 minutes or until the sugar has melted into a golden crust on top of the custard. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Infuse the milk and cream with lemon peel and cinnamon stick for at least 15 minutes off heat before straining—this builds flavor without scorching spices.
Temper egg yolks by slowly whisking the hot milk mixture into them in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Reverse pouring causes scrambled eggs.
Chill custards at least 4 hours or overnight before torching; cold custard means the sugar caramelizes without the cream underneath curdling.
Caramelize the sugar topping as close to serving as possible. Turbinado sugar creates better crunch than granulated, but granulated works if that's what you have.

Substitutions

Whole milk + heavy cream → half-and-half or full heavy cream (richer result, less citrus balance)
Lemon peel → orange peel or a combination of both (same infusion method)
Cornstarch → 2 tsp arrowroot powder (slightly thinner, but still stabilizes)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate custards in ramekins, covered, up to 3 days. Add caramelized sugar topping within 1 hour of serving; it softens if left longer.

Equipment

kitchen torch (or heated skewer/metal spatula) · ramekins (4–6 oz ceramic or glass)

Common Questions

Can I make crema catalana ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare and chill the custards up to 2 days ahead, then add the caramelized sugar topping just before serving for maximum crunch.

How do I get the sugar crust crispy without a torch?

Use a hot skewer or metal spatula heated over a flame to caramelize the turbinado sugar layer. A kitchen torch is faster and more even, but not essential.

Why does my custard have lumps?

Egg yolks must be tempered—slowly whisk hot milk mixture into yolks, not the reverse. Cornstarch also helps prevent curdling and adds body.

Can I omit the lemon peel?

You can, but the citrus is essential to crema catalana's flavor. Substitute orange peel or add zest if you prefer, but don't skip the citrus entirely.