Vegan Catalan Cream with Torched Sugar
Plant-based take on the Spanish classic, this creamy custard swaps dairy milk for soy milk and relies on corn starch for silky texture. Infused with cinnamon and lemon, it's chilled until set, then finished with a caramelized sugar crust torched to golden crispness.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Heat soy milk with cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and brown sugar in a saucepan until boiling, then remove from heat and set aside.
- 2
In a separate glass of reserved soy milk, whisk corn starch until completely dissolved without lumps.
- 3
If using turmeric, add to the corn starch mixture and whisk until dissolved.
- 4
Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the pot and return soy milk to heat until boiling again.
- 5
Pour the corn starch mixture into the boiling soy milk while stirring vigorously until thickened, then remove from heat.
- 6
Transfer to serving vessels, preferably clay pots, and refrigerate until completely cool.
- 7
Sprinkle brown sugar over each container and torch with a kitchen torch or heat with a Catalan cream iron until caramelized and crispy.
Tips
Dissolve corn starch completely in cold soy milk before adding to hot milk to prevent lumps.
Work quickly once pouring the starch mixture into boiling milk as it thickens rapidly.
Use a kitchen torch for best results when caramelizing the sugar topping.
Clay pots are traditional and conduct heat evenly for even cooling and setting.
Good to Know
Covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. Do not freeze as texture will separate.
Prepare through chilling step up to 1 day ahead. Torch sugar topping just before serving.
Serve chilled in the same vessel or transfer to plates. Eat immediately after torching while sugar crust is warm and crispy.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip dissolving corn starch in cold milk first to avoid lumps in final custard.
Do not skip the removal of cinnamon and lemon peel before the second boil, as they may impart bitterness.
Do not underchill; allow at least 2 hours so custard sets properly before torching.