Ah … what better way to finish off a nice, rich meal than with this typical French sweet. Of course, it is the identical dish as Crema Catalana, a typical Spanish sweet. I’ve even heard rumours that the English kitchen knows of a pudding called “burnt cream”, which, I strongly presume, is much the same thing. Anyhow, since I nearly always order one when I spy it on the menu of a fancy restaurant, I have recently convinced myself to buy a butane-fueled torch with which to make the nice, golden brown crust.
Here’s the recipe for 4 persons:
4 eggs
375ml cream
125ml milk
1 vanilla pod
40 g white sugar
some raw sugar to sprinkle on top.
Put the milk and cream in a pot, cut open the vanilla pod and add it to the pot. Bring to a boil and then, let cool down. Meanwhile, mix the egg yolks and the sugar in a bowl until white and foamy. I do this usually by hand, and afterwards wonder why I’m so masochistic. Now, slowly mix the warm milk and cream with the egg yolk. Fill into appropriate forms for cooking. In the oven (130°C), put a deep pan with boiling water, and use it as a waterbath for the cream forms. Let cook in oven for 40 minutes, then take out and cool. Before serving, sprinkle with a little bit of raw sugar, and caramelize it using the torch. Enjoy.
