Crema Catalana Recipe

Combine milk, heavy cream, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, and split vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract) in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat until just below simmering (steam rising and small bubbles at the edge), about 5–7 minutes. Do not boil.

Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes to infuse flavors. If using vanilla extract, add it after removing from heat and steeping for 5 minutes.

While the milk steeps, whisk the egg yolks, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl until pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes. The cornstarch helps stabilize the custard for Catalana style and gives a silkier texture.

After steeping, remove and discard the cinnamon stick and strain the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan to remove lemon zest and vanilla pod solids.

Temper the egg mixture: with the whisk running, very slowly drizzle about 1/3 of the warm milk into the yolks to raise their temperature, then add another 1/3 while continuing to whisk. Finally, pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking continuously.

Cook the combined mixture over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula and making sure to scrape the bottom. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon, about 4–6 minutes. Do not let it boil—if large bubbles form, remove from heat and cool slightly, then return to low heat and continue stirring.

Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest (if you did not steep with zest) and a little vanilla if using extract. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired (add up to 1–2 tsp sugar).

Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any cooked egg bits for an ultra-smooth texture. Divide evenly into six 4–6 oz ramekins (or 4 larger ramekins).

Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until fully set, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, remove ramekins from refrigerator and bring to cool room temperature for 10 minutes (cold custard will crack if exposed to intense heat).

Evenly sprinkle about 1–2 teaspoons of granulated sugar over each custard surface (use a total of approximately 1/2 cup). If you prefer a wetter caramel, dissolve the sugar with 1–2 tsp water first and brush a thin layer on the custard before sprinkling, but dry sugar works best for a crisp crust.

Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen blowtorch: hold the torch 2–3 inches from the surface and move in small circles until the sugar melts, bubbles, and turns a deep amber, forming a thin hardened shell, about 1–2 minutes per ramekin. Allow the caramel to cool and harden for 1–2 minutes before serving.

If you do not have a torch, place the ramekins on a baking sheet and set them under a preheated broiler on high, 3–4 inches from the heat. Watch very closely: broil for 1–2 minutes until the sugar melts and browns. Remove promptly and let the caramel set.

Serve immediately after caramel has hardened to preserve the crisp top. Garnish optionally with a thin lemon twist or a light dusting of cinnamon.