Crema Catalana

Double cream and orange zest come together in this Spanish dessert — 95 minutes, 14 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 14 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 14 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Put the milk, cream, cinnamon stick and all the citrus zest in a saucepan set over a medium heat.
- Cook, stirring often, until the milk is just steaming but not boiling, about 3-5 mins.
- Remove from the heat, cover with a plate and leave to infuse for at least 30 mins.
- When the cream mixture has infused, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a separate bowl for 3-5 mins, or until light and pale in colour.
- Pour the infused milk through a sieve into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan.
- Put the saucepan over a medium-high heat and whisk for around 10-12 mins.
- The mixture should start thickening to a custard-like consistency – you can tell it’s ready by dipping a wooden spoon in the mixture, then running a finger through the mixture on the back of the spoon.
- If the line holds, it's ready.
- Sieve the mixture into a jug to remove any froth.
- Divide the custard between six 150ml ramekins or small terracotta dishes, then leave to cool for 1 hr at room temperature until set with a slight wobble. Chill overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tbsp caster sugar over the top of each ramekin and caramelise using a kitchen blowtorch.
- Alternatively, slide the ramekins under a hot grill until the sugar turns golden and starts to bubble.
- Serve straightaway.
You'll use: Grill / broiler · Saucepan · Pan · Whisk · Steamer
Watch how it's made

Hosted on YouTube — pressing play loads content from YouTube.
Ingredient substitutions
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
- Double Cream
- heavy cream · whipping cream
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
What to serve with Crema Catalana
- Seafood fideuà Seafood
- Spanish Tortilla Vegetarian
- Roast fennel and aubergine paella Vegan
- Migas Miscellaneous
Tips & common questions
How long does Crema Catalana take to make?
About 95 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 14 steps and 9 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of milk?
Try any unsweetened plant milk. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Crema Catalana vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Recipe data for Crema Catalana via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.







