Crema Catalana (A Spanish Tradition)

We all adore the classic French Crème Brûlée with its iconic caramelized crust, but have you tried its Spanish counterpart, the Crema Catalana? This Catalan dessert brings a festive twist with its fragrant blend of orange, lemon, cinnamon, and my personal touch of cardamom. These warm, spiced notes make it perfect for the holiday season. Plus, it’s an easy dessert to prepare in advance—ideal for entertaining with convenience and style!

Origine

The French Crème Brûlée is widely known, but Crema Catalana is believed to be its precursor. Also called Crema San Josep or Quemada, this citrus-infused dessert dates back to the 14th century, first described in a Mestre Robert cookbook. By comparison, the French version emerged in 1691, making Crema Catalana one of Europe’s oldest dessert recipes, and it is still thriving in Spain.

Crème Brûlée Vs. Crema Catalan?

The format is similar, but underneath this caramelized crust hides a few differences:

1. The first difference is the aromatics: Crème Brûlée uses a simple vanilla bean, while the Crema Catalana is aromatized with orange and/or lemon peel and cinnamon.
2. The Crema Catalan doesn’t use cream like the French version; it uses cornstarch to thicken the milk. The Spanish version has a flan texture, while the Crème brûlée is slightly smoother and leakier.
3. The French dessert is mainly cooked for a long time at a low temperature in the oven, or bain-marie, while the Crema Catalana is made rapidly on the stove.
4. Lastly, the traditional way to caramelize the sugar on a Crema Catalana is with a hot metal instrument, which makes the job fast and easy. The Crème Brûlée is traditionally finished with a torch.

Aromatics

The aromas are warmer and customizable. I’ve used half a lemon and orange peels, cinnamon, and cardamom to give the crema this Holiday flair. If you want a more delicate and straightforward aroma, you can choose just lemon or orange peel and cinnamon. The added cardamom isn’t typically in the spice mix of this dessert, but I thought it added a lovely festive touch. Ultimately, you choose your aroma profile. Here are a few suggestions:

For the Citrus:

• Cut the peel finely, removing the white part by scraping it with a sharp knife to prevent the Crema Catalana from getting bitter notes.
• Buy organic lemons and oranges. Since the peels contain layers of pesticides, even the most effective baking soda bath cannot remove them all. So, play it safe and buy organic. Otherwise, here are the best ways to clean your citrus.

For the Spices:

• I’ve used green cardamom and made a small incision to make the milk go inside the pods and suck all that flavour. Don’t open them up. Otherwise, you’ll lose the small grains inside the milk, which will be difficult to discard.

Infusion

When heating milk, it’s crucial to avoid boiling. Keep the heat at medium-low and observe to prevent curdling. The goal is to warm the milk until it begins to steam, which allows it to absorb all the aromatic flavours. Once warm, add your aromatics and cover the milk to let it infuse for 10-15 minutes, ensuring a rich and flavorful result.

Caramelization

You’ll need a layer of sugar and a torch for the best results to create that irresistible caramelized crust. While some suggest using the oven’s grill, this can warm the cream, which isn’t ideal. Most chefs recommend white sugar for caramelizing as its purity ensures stability under the flame. Brown sugar, depending on its quality, may burn too quickly the impurities in it, leading to an off-flavour.

The Technique

In Spain, a traditional flat, red-hot metal tool called a quemador is used to caramelize the top of Crema Catalana quickly. Nowadays, most people opt for a kitchen torch. Keep a torch moving in small circular motions and avoid holding it too close to the sugar. Aim for a golden brown finish as the sugar melts—without burning it to black!