Italian Fried Custard (Crema Fritta)

Name: Italian Fried Custard (Crema Fritta)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 36
Ingredients: Whole milk 2 cups; Sugar ½ cup; Egg yolks (about 4 medium yolks) 2.5 oz; Cornstarch 5 tbsp; Type 00 flour 5 tbsp; Lemon peel 1; Vanilla extract 1 tsp; Breadcrumbs 0.8 cup; Egg whites 4; Type 00 flour 10 tbsp; Peanut seed oil 4 ¼ cups

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Makes: 36 pieces
Cost: Low
Note + 2 hours cooling time for the custard

PRESENTATION

Crema fritta is fried custard — pastry cream flavored with lemon zest and vanilla, cooked to a firm set, chilled, sliced into squares, breaded twice, and fried until the outside is crisp and golden while the inside stays soft and creamy. That contrast is the whole appeal: a thin crunchy shell that gives way immediately to something almost pudding-like at the center. It turns up across northern Italy in different forms — as an appetizer in Emilia-Romagna alongside vegetables and cheeses, as a Carnival dessert in Venice, as part of the fritto misto of the Marche.

The one thing that requires patience is the cooling step: the pastry cream needs two hours at room temperature, uncovered, before it's firm enough to slice and bread cleanly. Once that's done, the rest comes together quickly. The double breadcrumb coating — breadcrumbs, beaten egg, breadcrumbs again — keeps the crust light and dry rather than heavy. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. And serve immediately — fried cream really doesn't wait.

INGREDIENTS

for about 36 pieces: Whole milk 2 cups (500 g); Sugar ½ cup (100 g); Egg yolks 2.5 oz (72 g) - (about 4 medium yolks); Cornstarch 5 tbsp (40 g); Type 00 flour 5 tbsp (40 g); Lemon peel 1; Vanilla extract 1 tsp

for breading and frying: Breadcrumbs 0.8 cup (100 g); Egg whites 4; Type 00 flour 10 tbsp (75 g)

for frying: Peanut seed oil 4 ¼ cups (1 l)

Preparation

How to prepare Italian Fried Custard (Crema Fritta)

To prepare the fried cream, first heat the milk with the grated lemon zest 1 and the vanilla extract 2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl 3 (reserve the egg whites for the breading).

Add the flour and starch 5, then whisk gently with a whisk 5. Temper with a couple of ladlefuls of hot milk 6.

Then pour the mixture into the saucepan with the milk 7 and cook, stirring continuously with the whisk 8, until you obtain a thick, firm cream 9.

Transfer the cream into an 8x8 in. pan lined with plastic wrap 10, also cover the surface with plastic wrap and press to level it evenly 11. Let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. After chilling, invert the set cream onto a cutting board and cut into 36 cubes 12.

Coat the cubes first in flour 13, then in the reserved egg whites, and finally in breadcrumbs 14. Place them as you go on a tray lined with parchment paper 15.

Heat the vegetable oil to 3564F and fry a few pieces at a time for 10 minutes or until golden 16. Drain on paper towels as you go and continue with the rest 17. Your fried cream is ready to be served 18!

Storage

Fried cream can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

The pastry cream can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, covered with plastic wrap directly on the surface.

Tip

Flavor the pastry cream as you like with orange zest, only lemon, or only vanilla.

The flour-and-starch mix gives the cubes the ideal texture; if you prefer to use only flour you will get a slightly chewier texture.

Discover other specialties from the Marche region, such as Piconi marchigiani, Crescia sfogliata or the famous Olive Ascolane (deep-fried stuffed olives)!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Italian Fried Custard (Crema Fritta)

PRESENTATION

INGREDIENTS

How to prepare Italian Fried Custard (Crema Fritta)

Storage

Tip

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