Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana

Crema catalana is Catalonia's beloved custard dessert and one of the oldest documented desserts in Europe, with recipes appearing in Catalan cookbooks as early as the 14th century -- well before French creme brulee entered the scene. Distinguished from its French counterpart by its flavoring of lemon zest and cinnamon rather than vanilla, and by being thickened with cornstarch rather than baked, crema catalana has a lighter, silkier texture. The magical moment comes when the waiter caramelizes the sugar topping tableside with a hot iron, creating a glass-like crust that shatters satisfyingly under the tap of a spoon.