In addition to the famous Italian Tiramisu that launched last week, Gooey Puds has just listed the delicious Spanish dessert: Crema Catalana- one of the oldest European desserts on record [found in the Catalan cookery book- Libre de Sent Sovi, first published in 1324!] It is often referred to as the "Spanish Crème Brule", although the French dessert didn't appear in print until the 17th century. The products themselves are actually quite different, and it is perhaps that visually they are very similar, with that crunchy, caramelised, sugar crust, that the comment is made. Crema Catalana is milk based, forming a spiced egg custard, that is then topped with the sugar, and caramelised. Crème Brule is cream, and vanilla, based and is cooked in the oven, in a Bain Marie, so the resultant textures are completely different as well.
Several varieties of Crema Catalana can be made, with different herbs and spices, the one Gooey Puds has gone for has both fennel and cinnamon, as the flavours are more decadent, than just cinnamon, but also as it is quite rare to fine fennel in a dessert recipe, which we think is quite exciting!
This will be the first recipe where we are starting to branch out into cow's milk alternatives, and so it is available either in cow's milk, or goat's [goat's milk has been chosen for it's dietary benefit of being much easier to digest than cow's milk]. Further work, and research, are being done in to plant based alternatives for both milk and egg, and these will be offered as alternatives as and when the recipes are perfected.
Just click on the button below to have a try!
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