Champaign, Ill. (WCIA)
U of I student chef, Julio Zacarias, is a senior in the hospitality management program at U of I.
Julio is showcasing his dessert. It’s called Crema Catalana.
It’s similar to a crème brulee, however it has Spanish influences instead of French.
DINNER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH
“CUINA CATALANA: A NIGHT IN BARCELONA”

MAKE RESERVATIONS
CALL 217-333-6520
ONLINE: https://go.aces.illinois.edu/spiceboxreservations
HALF HOUR TIME SLOTS:
5, 5:30, 6, 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 p.m
CREMA CATALANA
Yield: 6 – 4 floz
Portion: 4 fl oz
Num Portions: 6
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 2 hours infuse+ 15 min+ 2 hours cool
Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
24 fl oz 2% milk
.75 cups granulated sugar
1T imitation vanilla
1/3 cup cornstarch
½ tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
5 g lemon zest
6T sugar
18 blackberries
12 strawberries
18 raspberries
Directions:
- Zest lemon. Add zest, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and ½ cup sugar
- Cook over low heat until milk reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove milk from heat and cover. Let
infuse for 2 hours. - While milk is cooling, whisk together the egg yolks, remaining ¼ cup sugar and cornstarch. Whisk
until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. - Strain infused milk into clean trunnion. Bring to boil over medium to low heat. Turn off heat.
- Slowly whisk ½ cup of hot milk mixture into egg yolk mixture to temper eggs. Strain egg yolk
mixture into milk mixture whisking constantly. Turn heat to low and cook, whisking constantly for 5
minutes, until thick. Remove immediately from heat - Place 4 oz of custard into each ramekin. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Before serving add even 1 T layer of granulated sugar and brulee the top using broiler. Cool for 5 min
to create classic hard crust. Garnish with strawberries (cut in fan), blueberries, raspberries,
blackberries, and mint in center. Store in fridge until ready to serve.