Fried custard cream – crema fritta
Crema fritta is a carnival sweet typical from Verona and Venice. It’s a thick custard cream breaded and fried. When I was little I used to go to Piazza Erbe and press my nose against the glass of the stand selling crema fritta and dream of having a piece. My mother wasn’t that big on sweets so she didn’t buy it often. When I had the pleasure to hold a piece of it in my hands I was on top of the world.
I always thought that crema fritta was difficult to make until my mother gave me this recipe. Every year on Venerdì Gnocolar (Gnocchi’s Friday) there’s always a plate of crunchy crema fritta on our table.
In Italy we mainly serve this dessert during the carnival season, as well as all the other carnival sweets, until Lent starts. There’s an interruption on Mid-Lent (Mezza Quaresima) when these delicious treats are permitted again. In any case crema fritta is a dessert that can be served during the winter to bring cheer to your dinner, especially if there are kids involved. I assure you, it really makes you smile.
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. granulated white sugar
2 1/4 cups + 3 Tbsp. whole milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
lemon zest from 1/8 of a lemon
1 Tbsp. butter
about 1 cup dry bread crumbs
peanut oil or light olive oil for frying
powdered sugar
Instructions:
1. Whisk the 3 egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla until fluffy and lighter in color.
2. Add flour to the egg mixture and mix the batter with a wooden spoon.
3. Pour the milk a little bit at the time in the egg mixture mixing well.
4. Pour the liquid in a pan, add the lemon zest and start cooking it at a low temperature. Stir it often. It will take about 20 minutes to thicken. When the custard cream will start to thicken it will become suddenly full of lumps. Don’t panic but start mixing it with more energy until smooth and turn it off. Don’t let the cream boil!
5. When cooked, add the butter and eliminate the lemon zest. Spread the custard on a serving plate giving it a rectangular shape, about 3/4 of an inch thick. Use a knife or a metal spatula to smooth it down. Let the cream cool.*
6. Cut the custard cream in diamond shapes.
7. Now whip the remaining egg whites until stiff peaks form, set them in a bowl and place the dry bread crumbs on a plate.
8. Heat up the oil to 350° in a deep pan and while the oil is warming up, prepare the crema fritta.
9. Dip the custard diamonds into egg whites and then dredge them into the bread crumbs.
10. Fry a few pieces at the time until golden brown. Remove with care from the oil and place the crema fritta on paper towels.
11. Sprinkle the crema fritta pieces with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Notes:
* At this point cream can be covered and refrigerated. You can then finish preparing them the day after if you want.
You stated in the ingredients..120 grams of sugar. Can you please convert this to tablespoons.
Thank you
Jerry Esposito
Thank you, Jerry for pointing that out. I corrected it now.
These sound absolutely beautiful, thanks for sharing with us. Could you please confirm that the flour used is plain flour (I’m Australian).
Many thanks,
Katherine Menegon
I do have a question about lettuce I make a lot of salad and I turn yellow rusty color in the bowl . If it sets in the frige over night I cover with damp paper towel and foil in the frige could you let me know how to keep it from doing this thank you
DEAR PATTY,
I ALWAYS LOVE GETTING YOUR E MAILS. I CAN REMEMBER MY MOTHER MAKING THIS RECIPE IN THE 1930′ S TO THE 1970 ‘S, ONLY WE CALLED IT “LATTE DUCE” (GENOVESE) BASICALLY MEANING THE SAME THING. I LOST MY MOTHER’S RECIPE YEARS AGO. THANKS FOR PUBLISHING YOURS. NOW I CAN TRY IT AGAIN. SINCERELY , ELSI
Dear Patty
Thank you so very much for responding with that conversion. I am all Italian and I LOVE all of your recipes. Looking forward to making this asap.
Jerry
I actually was happy with the grammes! Here in Europe, the American cup system remains a mystery – my cups come in all shapes and sizes!!! Perhaps you could put the two systems (American/European): e.g. 120gr/1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons – or whatever the American measure is. Thanks
Mmmmm, crema fritta, so delicious! It is always part of Fritto Misto alla Bolognese which consists of meats like tiny lamb chops, Mortadella cubes, sweet breads, chicken croquettes, vegetables like artichokes, cauliflower and zucchini and the surprise of apple rings and Crema for the sweet element, very rarerly sweet rice fritters too. It is an amazing savoury/sweet feast.
I’ve never actullay made crema fritta, nor a Gran Fritto Misto alla Bolognese, your recipe tempts to make me at least the Crema, so thanks Patty!
@Katherine: Yes the flour I used is plain flour.
@Lorraine: I usually store my lettuce in the fridge without washing it. If I have some washed one, I put in a closed container. Keep in mind that lettuce has a short life, few days and then it start to get spoiled especially if it’s wet, so dry it before storage it in the fridge.
@Annamaria: I know when I started this website I only had American visitors for a long time now things are changing and I’m thinking about adding grams to the recipes. In the meantime if you need to know the quantity in grams for this recipe or others, I’ll be happy to provide it for you.
@Carmelita: I’ve never had the pleasure to eat fritto misto alla bolognese, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. It looks like a lot of work, but I guess it would be worth it. Maybe some day I’ll try it….
Hello Patty,
I this recipe you say to “eliminate” the lemon zest when you add the butter to the cooked cream. Do you mean to mix it in, or dispose of it?
Thanks,
Toni
Hi Patty,
I wanted to make you speck puff pastry twists and have never bought puff pastry.
Do i have to roll the puff pastry and if so how thin?
I saw puff pastry dough in the frozen section.
thanks,
Carmela
@Tony: I mean to dispose the lemon zest.
@Carmela: It is usually already rolled, but just in case it should be about 3-4 millimeters (1/5 inch. thick)
thanks Patty! your story of when you wrer little looking through the window is so inspirational to me and my current project