Crema catalana
The most popular dessert in Catalonia: a creamy custard flavored with cinnamon and lemon, made with egg yolks and starch, and topped with caramelized suga…
Catalan cream, also known as crème brûlée or Saint-Joseph cream, is one of the most popular desserts in Catalonia. It is characterized by its thin layer of caramelized sugar and its subtle aroma of cinnamon and lemon.
Ingredients and directions
- Prep time30 min
- Cook time15 min
- Resting4 hr
- Total4 hr 45 min
- DifficultyMedium
- CostBudget
- Calories233 kcal/serving
- Cooking methodsaucepan, caramelization
- Estimated cost$2.43 $0.41 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
people
- $0.50
- $0.16
- $1.40
- $0.09
- $0.28
Prices from US supermarkets for 3 of 5 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.
Directions
- In a saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and 125g of sugar until you have a smooth, even mixture. ≈ 4 min
- At the same time, heat the milk in a separate saucepan with the cinnamon and lemon zest to infuse it with flavor.
- Once the milk starts to simmer, add the egg and sugar mixture, stirring constantly.
- Dissolve the starch in cold water (or milk), filter it, and then add it to the cream. If you are using cornstarch, incorporate it into the egg yolk and sugar mixture before adding the milk. ≈ 4 min
- Keep stirring over the heat until it just begins to simmer, then remove from the heat and continue stirring for a few minutes to prevent it from curdling.
- Divide it into small earthenware pots, let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
- Take the creams out a little before serving, sprinkle the remaining sugar over them 15 minutes beforehand, caramelize them with a torch, wait for about 15 minutes, and then serve.
The bill
Crema catalana
- 1/2 liter of milk$0.50
- 200 g of sugar (125g for the cream, 75g for caramelizing)$0.16
- 4 egg yolks$1.40
- 20 g of cornstarch or flour$0.09
- 1 lemon zest$0.28
Total$2.43
that's $0.41 per person
Estimated price; varies by store.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 233 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41.9 g |
| Sugars | 38 g |
| Fiber | 0.1 g |
| Protein | 5.1 g |
| Salt | 0.09 g |
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