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Coffee and Cardamom Crema Catalana

17/11/2023

Crema Catalana is a globally known Spanish dessert, but we’ll give it our own twist by adding coffee and cardamom for a different aromatic touch. Here is the recipe with an Italian flair:

Ingredients

  • 500 ml of whole milk
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • The peel of 1 orange
  • The peel of 1 lemon
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 100 g of granulated sugar, plus extra for the final caramelization
  • 30 g of corn starch (cornflour)
  • 2 or 3 cardamom pods
  • 1 cup of strong espresso coffee

Preparation

  1. In a saucepan, pour the milk and add the cinnamon stick, orange and lemon peels, and the cracked cardamom pods to release the seeds. Heat over medium heat until the milk is about to boil.
  2. In the meantime, in a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the granulated sugar until light and frothy. Incorporate the corn starch and mix until lump-free.
  3. Once the milk is warm and aromatic, remove the citrus peels, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Pour some of the hot milk into the bowl with the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Then transfer the entire mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
  4. Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens (it should not boil!).
  5. Once you have a smooth cream, turn off the heat and add the espresso coffee. Mix well to combine the coffee into the cream.
  6. Pour the cream into small bowls that can go under the oven grill or be burned with a kitchen torch.
  7. Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  8. At serving time, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the surface of each bowl and caramelize it with a kitchen torch or by placing the bowls under a preheated oven grill until the sugar has browned and formed a crispy crust.

Fun Fact

Crema Catalana is traditionally prepared for Saint Joseph’s Day, and the characteristic caramelized sugar crust is usually obtained by burning the sugar with a red-hot iron called “Crema Catalana iron”. In our case, the coffee and cardamom will add oriental and deep notes to this classic dessert. Enjoy your meal!

Coffee and Cardamom Crema Catalana