When we decided what the first flavor of Quota Vita would be, we didn't hesitate much. Crema catalana is homemade. It's Sunday lunch at grandma's, it's Sant Josep, it's the spoon breaking the crust of burnt sugar. I grew up with this taste, and when I started a whey company here in Maresme, I wanted the first flavor to explain where I'm from. Today I'm closing the circle: I'm taking the dessert that inspired the flavor and turning it back into a real, homemade dish, with added protein.
Why crema catalana lends itself to being made with protein
Basically, crema catalana already starts with ingredients that naturally provide protein: egg yolks and milk. Its creamy texture and measured sweetness mean that it readily accepts added whey without losing its essence. We're not inventing anything. We're taking a lifelong recipe and bringing it a little closer to how many of us want to eat today: the same old taste, with a little more protein on the plate.
The trick, and I'll tell you now, is to respect the cream. The protein goes in at the end, carefully, so that the cream remains cream.
Ingredients (for 4 servings)
- 500 ml milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 80 g sugar (plus extra for brûléeing the top)
- 25 g cornstarch (Maizena)
- Peel of one lemon (only the yellow part, no white pith)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons Quota Vita whey protein, crema catalana flavor
If you want a clean cinnamon and lemon flavor, you can also use neutral Quota Vita whey and let the cinnamon and lemon peel do all the aromatic work. Both options work.
Step-by-step preparation
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Infuse the milk. Place the milk in a saucepan with the lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Heat over medium heat until it starts to steam, just before boiling. Turn off the heat, cover, and let infuse for about 10 minutes. Then remove the peel and cinnamon.
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Prepare the base. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar until a light paste forms. Add the cornstarch and mix well to avoid lumps.
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Combine. Gradually pour the infused and still warm milk over the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.
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Thicken. Return everything to the saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk until the cream thickens. Be patient and don't raise the heat: it should be coated, shiny, without ever coming to a strong boil.
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Incorporate protein off the heat. This is the key step. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the cream cool down for a couple of minutes. Once it's no longer scalding, add the Quota Vita whey and mix with a whisk until fully integrated. If you incorporate it while the cream is too hot, the protein can curdle and result in a grainy texture. Off the heat and gently, it will be smooth.
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Chill. Divide the cream into four small dishes, cover them with cling film touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
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Caramelize the sugar. Just before serving, sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over each dish and caramelize it with a blowtorch or a very hot brûlée iron until a golden, crispy crust forms. Do this step right before serving: the charm is for the crust to be crunchy and the cream underneath to be cold.
Tips for a smooth result
- Always low heat. Crema catalana is made with patience. Heat that is too high will curdle the egg yolks and leave lumps.
- Protein, never with boiling cream. This is the easiest mistake. Let the temperature drop before incorporating the whey.
- Lighter version. If you want it less dense, use semi-skimmed milk and reduce the sugar in the base slightly. The burnt crust on top already provides enough sweet contrast.
- No blowtorch? You can grill it for a few seconds under a very hot oven broiler, watching it closely as sugar burns quickly.
What it is, without frills
Let's be clear: this is a dessert. Good, homemade, made with care, with a little more protein due to the added whey. It's not a meal replacement or any miraculous solution. It's a treat you can allow yourself within a varied diet. For me, who went from 120 kg to feeling good again, the key was never to forbid myself the things I like. It was finding a way to enjoy them with a little more thought.
If you make it, I'd love to see it. Tag us and show us your burnt sugar crust. And if you want the flavor without having to cook, you know you can find it at quotavita.com.
Gerard, founder.