Crema Catalana

6 steps. Take it one step at a time.

1. 01

   Combine the milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel

   In a saucepan, combine the milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel. Heat over medium heat until it almost reaches a boil, then remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes.

   10 min
2. 02

   Whisk the egg yolks

   In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth and pale.

3. 03

   Remove the cinnamon and lemon peel from the milk

   Remove the cinnamon and lemon peel from the milk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.

4. 04

   Return the mixture

   Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 82-85°C / 180-185°F). Do not let it boil.

   8 min
5. 05

   Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve

   Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into 4 ramekins. Let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

   4 hr
6. 06

   Just before serving

   Just before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over each custard. Caramelize the sugar using a kitchen torch or a very hot broiler until it forms a crisp, dark golden crust.