Cook the Book | 'The Cottage Kitchen' Crema Catalana

The Cottage Kitchen

A Cookbook Inspired by the English Countryside

In our newest edition of 'Cook the Book', we refer to The Cottage Kitchen by Marte Marie Forsberg, a beautiful book that launched late last year. If you love cookbooks, like we do, you can't help but notice a trend in the category - women celebrating where they live (France, Italy, England) paired with captivating imagery and mouthwaterign recipes. Each is inspiring in its own way. This book pays homage to the place she terms “her first love” — a picturesque cottage nestled. between Dorset and Wiltshire in the southwest of England. Her recipes are collected from and inspired by all the places she has lived and traveled, especially England and its changing seasons. For winter, there’s an easy No-Knead Country Loaf and a hearty Butter Baked Cod with Saffron and Parsley Sauce; Kale and Almond Soup and Zucchini Pasta with Pancetta and Wild Garlic will awaken your taste buds to the delights of spring. For summer, Forsberg celebrates the season with her Mother’s Garden Soup,which incorporates warm weather produce at the peak of ripeness; come autumn, the offerings include indulgent comfort foods like savory Leek and Cheese Gratin.

We are sharing an adaptation of Crema Catalana from the book, a decadent pudding-like dessert flecked with vanilla beans, scented with cinnamon and finished with caramelized sugar. We edited the recipe to be dairy-free and incorporated coocont milk, but you can easily use regular milk.

CREMA CATALANA

1 vanilla bean, seeded

2 cans light coconut milk, or 2 cups regular milk

2 cinnamon sticks

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar, divided

4 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter, or ghee

pinch of coarse sea salt

Directions: Set aside four ramekins. Place vanilla bean, milk and cinnamon sticks in a heavy bottom sauce pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, add egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and corn starch into a small small. Stir to combine. Once liquid begins to simmer, temper egg yolks by adding about half cup hot milk mixture into egg yolks stirring constantly. Add the rest of the egg mixture into liquid, stirring constantly, otherwise it could softly scramble. Stir until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. If you are using regular milk about 7 to 10 minutes; coconut milk, about 15 minutes. Add butter and salt and stir allowing to melt. Using a fine sieve, pour mixutre through it into ramekins. Let cool in the refrigerator. Before serving sprinkle the remaining sugar on top. Using a blow torch, or your broiler heat until carmelized. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from 'The Cottage Kitchen' by Marte Marie Forsberg