Crema Catalana

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cupsmilk, whole milk preferred; for custard
• 2/3 cupheavy cream, for custard
• 1cinnamon stick, for infusing milk
• 1orange zest, zest of 1 orange; for infusing milk
• 1lemon zest, zest of 1 lemon; for infusing milk
• 7egg yolks
• 1/2 cupsuperfine sugar, for the custard
• 6 tbspcornstarch, for thickening custard
• 6 tbspsuperfine sugar, 1 tbsp per ramekin, for the tops

Method

1. 1

   Warm the milk, cream, cinnamon stick and orange and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until steaming but not boiling. Take it off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Whisk the egg yolks, the sugar for the custard and the cornstarch in a bowl for 3 to 5 minutes, until pale. Strain the infused milk into the yolks, whisking all the time.

3. 3

   Pour it back into the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until a finger drawn across the back of a coated spoon leaves a clean line. Strain it into a pitcher.

4. 4

   Pour into six small ramekins or shallow terracotta dishes. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight, until set.

5. 5

   Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar evenly over each custard and caramelize it with a kitchen torch, or under a hot broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve once the sugar has hardened, a minute or so later.

Nutrition per serving