Custards - Springformed | Naturally Gluten Free Baking

Crema Catalana

This lemon and cinnamon-infused custard is a popular dessert in Spain. It has a characteristic caramelized or burnt sugar top and is known by several names: crema catalana, crema cremada, and crema de Sant Josep. Although now eaten year-round, it used to be only served on Saint Joseph's Day, 19 March, which is considered Father’s Day in Spain. The custard is traditionally served in terra cotta cazuela dishes. Crema catalana often is considered the precursor to crème brûlée. However, the desserts are very different in terms of ingredients, cooking method, consistency and taste. Crema catalana has quite a distinctive flavor and a thicker, creamier consistency – I must admit that that I prefer the delicate, vanilla-infused crème brûlée. Finding the right combination of ingredients and cooking methods took some time. Many of the recipes that I tried resulted in curdled eggs or a much-too-sweet dessert. The recipe below is perfect. Recipe below.

Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée is a rich, vanilla-based custard topped with a thin layer of caramelized sugar - which shatters satisfyingly when cracked with a spoon. It is served cold, although the heat from the caramelizing process slightly warms the top of the custard leaving the center cool. The origins of crème brûlée are debated, although it is considered a French dessert. It is similar to England’s Trinity cream and Spain’s crema catalana. Although France, England, and Spain each claim that they created the first version of this decadent dessert, custards made from eggs and cream were quite common in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards. While its origins are a mystery, the revival of crème brûlée is attributed to Sirio Maccioni’s Le Cirque restaurant in New York in the 1980s. Recipe below.