Spanish Crema Catalana Recipe

This dessert is super easy to make, it requires only 6 ingredients and is no-bake. It’s also naturally gluten-free and is delicious! Crema Catalana is creamy, soft, and perfectly sweet.

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Ramekin with crema catalana on an aqua-green plate and behind a small ramekin with crema catalana on a pink plate.

About this recipe

Crema Catalana is one of those simple, easy, and rich desserts. Like this lemon posset or vanilla pastry cream glass dessert

It’s a pastry cream with egg yolks and the surface caramelizes. The main ingredient is milk and is a naturally gluten-free dessert. It takes only 6 ingredients and is delicious!

Perfect for any occasion, it’s a dessert that always makes you look good. You can make the custard in advance and caramelize when ready to serve.

Two ramekins with crema catalana seen from above. One in a pink plate and the other in an aqua-green plate with a golden fork.

Ingredients

The main ingredients of this recipe are:

  • Milk: whole milk for the best flavor and consistency. Is the main ingredient.
  • Eggs: we need the egg yolks. Room-temperature eggs are better.
  • Sugar: granulated sugar for the custard, and caramelized.
  • Corn starch: to thicken the custard
  • Cinnamon: cinnamon stick.
  • Lemon: we need the lemon grind.
Crema catalana ingredients on a white surface seem from above.

How to make easy Spanish Crema Catalana

Cut the rind of the lemon with a vegetable peeler.

Place milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon rind in a deep saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until boiling.

In a large bowl beat the egg yolks, corn starch, and ½ cup of sugar.

Strain the milk into the egg mixture while stirring constantly and vigorously with a hand whisk.

Strain and pour the mixture back into the cleaned pan. Heat over medium-low heat until boiling and thick. Then remove it from the fire.

Place in the desired ramekins and let cool uncovered at room temperature.

Sprinkle with sugar and caramelize with a blow torch.

White ramekin with crema catalana on an aqua-green plate and a golden spoon.

Storing

Store the dessert covered in the fridge for up to 2 or 3 days. You can make the custard in advance, and when ready to serve you only need to take the dessert out of the fridge, sprinkle it with sugar, and use a blow torch to caramelize it.

Variations and serving options

  • Citric: replace lemon rind with orange rind or use both.
  • Serving options: serve the dessert with a GF cookie to scoop the cream. Highly recommended.
White ramekin with crema catalana and behind another small ramekin with crema catalana on a light blue surface.

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Ramekin with crema catalana on an aqua-green plate and behind a small ramekin with crema catalana on a pink plate.

Easy Spanish Crema Catalana Recipe

Josefina Almond Yes
This dessert is super easy to make, it requires only 6 ingredients and is no-bake. It's also naturally gluten-free and is delicious! Crema Catalana is creamy, soft, and perfectly sweet.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 6

Instructions
 

  • Cut the rind of the lemon with a vegetable peeler.
  • Place milk, cinnamon stick, and the lemon rind in a deep saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until boiling.
  • In a large bowl beat the egg yolks, corn starch, and ½ cup of sugar.
  • Strain the milk into the egg mixture while stirring constantly and vigorously with a hand whisk.
  • Strain and pour the mixture back into the cleaned pan. Heat over medium-low heat until boiling and thick. Then remove it from the fire.
  • Place in the desired ramekins and let cool uncovered at room temperature.
  • Sprinkle with sugar and caramelize with a blow torch.

Notes

If you are not going to serve it immediately, once it has cooled completely, place the ramekins in the refrigerator and caramelize it when ready to serve it.
Keyword Crema catalana, easy gluten-free dessert

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