Today, the best of global cuisine is at our fingertips. Within minutes, we can order or find a recipe for dishes that come from any corner of the world. When it comes to desserts, we especially enjoy trying different treats from other countries. As much as we love our mithai and halwa, we also enjoy brownies, churros, apple pies and baklava. Sometimes, we get confused between similar desserts and mislabel them. We see them in shop windows and don't understand their fancy names. For instance, people often mix up panna cotta, flan, caramel custard and creme brulee. Each of these desserts is delicious in its own way. Here's what you should know about them to appreciate them better:
What is Panna Cotta?
This smooth, creamy dessert is of Italian origin. More specifically, panna cotta is said to be a traditional Piedmontese delicacy whose name means "cooked cream" in Italian. Panna Cotta is made from cream, sugar, vanilla and gelatin.
What is Creme Brulee?
Creme brulee is a type of custard dessert made using egg yolks, cream, sugar, and vanilla. The exact origins of this dish are unclear. This treat is famous because it is usually topped with brown sugar - a layer that is later caramelised to a crisp, most dramatically with a blowtorch. The dish is generally served chilled, which contrasts with the heated top layer - leading to a play of textures in your mouth. Crema Catalana, a Catalan dish, is quite similar to Creme Brulee. The key difference is that the former traditionally contains milk and not cream.
What is Flan?
Flan generally refers to a sweet custard-like dessert topped with caramel. Many times, the names "flan," "caramel pudding" and "creme caramel" may be used interchangeably. Different regions have their own variations of flan. In some places, you will also find savoury flans with vegetables, eggs and even bacon. It is believed that flan as a dish originated in ancient Rome. It is also said that it was the Spaniards who first topped it with caramel.
Also Read:Jaggery Panna Cotta: The Zero-Sugar Dessert That's Perfect For Summer
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How is flan different from caramel custard?
Sometimes, they are the exact same thing. It depends on which version you choose. Certain recipes, such as Mexican flan, use ingredients such as cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk - which you do not find in caramel custard. The Filipino version, Leche Flan, has a vanilla flavour that sets it apart. Note that flan may be served with a pastry or sponge base, whereas typical caramel custard does not have any such layer.
Also Read:Watch: Bored Of The Same Old Festive Sweets? Try This Super Easy Caramel Custard Recipe!
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What makes panna cotta different from flan and creme brulee?
Unlike creme brulee, eggs are not used to thicken the mixture for panna cotta. Instead, gelatin is added before the mixture comes to a boil. It is then strained, poured into moulds and frozen till it sets. The cream is usually infused with vanilla or other flavourings before it is mixed with the other ingredients. In a few traditional recipes, rum or Marsala wine is added to the cream to give it a distinctive taste. Once the panna cotta is de-moulded, you can add a little bit of caramel or a coulis of fruit (like berries) on top.
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About Tosh*ta SahniTosh*ta is fuelled by wordplay, wanderlust, wonderment and Alliteration. When she is not blissfully contemplating her next meal, she enjoys reading novels and roaming around the city.
FAQs
Flan and crème brûlée use eggs, panna cotta uses gelatin and vanilla pudding and similar custards use eggs, cornstarch or flour. Rice pudding is both the most rustic and most elegant of those desserts, using only rice, milk and sugar.
What is the difference between flan and crème brûlée and panna cotta? ›
Highlights. Panna Cotta is a smooth, creamy dessert of Italian origin. Creme Brulee is famous because it is usually topped with brown sugar. Flan refers to a sweet custard-like dessert, topped with caramel.
What is the difference between crème brûlée and leche flan? ›
“Leche Flan” is the Filipino version of Crème brûlée and is also known as Crème caramel. The main difference with this Filipino dessert is that leche flan is Jello-like in consistency, while crème brûlée is pudding-like. Another difference is how the leche flan is cooked.
What's the difference between panna cotta and crème caramel? ›
Similar in texture to an Italian panna cotta, crème caramel is actually made without the addition of gelatin or starches: the eggs will thicken the mixture themselves and, with gentle and careful cooking, will give you a perfect texture, smooth and compact, but at the same time enveloping and velvety.
Is flan upside down crème brûlée? ›
For instance, your flan will most likely be drenched in a sweet milky caramel syrup if it's Latin-style, like dulce de leche. Or, it might be presented with a layer of burnt or caramelized sugar on the bottom—almost like an upside-down creme brulee (almost)—if it's European.
What is the fancy name for crème brûlée? ›
Crème brûlée or crème brulée (/ˌkrɛm bruːˈleɪ/; French: [kʁɛm bʁy. le]), also known as burnt cream or Trinity cream, and virtually identical to crema catalana, is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar.
Is custard and flan the same thing? ›
Most custards and puddings are made from eggs and cream, which are not difficult ingredients to find. But if you're interested in making your own flan or egg pudding, you should know what you're working with. What it comes down to is this: Flan is a custard and egg pudding is usually a pudding — but not always.
Why is crème caramel called flan? ›
In Spanish-speaking countries and often in the United States, crème caramel is known as flan. This was originally a Spanish-language usage, but in North America the word is now best known in Latin American contexts; the other meaning is less common.
Is caramel custard the same as crème brûlée? ›
The custard has a smooth texture, and the caramel layer on top is sweet and slightly sticky. Crème caramel differs from crème brûlée, a similar French dessert, in that chefs harden the caramelized sugar topping of crème brûlée with a blowtorch after the dessert finishes baking.
What is another name for panna cotta? ›
Blancmange is sometimes thickened with gelatin or isinglass, and sometimes with cornstarch. Panna cotta is sometimes called a custard, but true custard is thickened with egg yolks, not gelatin. A lighter version substitutes cream with Greek yogurt.
Before You Fire up the Torch
Once you've got the crème part down, it's time for the brûlée—which means "burnt" in French. You'll be using a butane culinary torch.
Is flan a pudding or Jello? ›
Flan is a popular Spanish dessert and different regions make different versions. It is essentially a custard dessert made by combining eggs, milk, sugar (or condensed milk), and vanilla and it is baked in a water bath similar to the way a Cheesecake is baked.
Is flan considered a stirred custard or a baked custard? ›
A flan is a baked custard often served in Latin America and Spain. Unlike crème brûlée or crema Catalana, where sugar is sprinkled on top of a baked and cooled custard before getting torched into a crisp topping, here we start with the caramel.
Is panna cotta or crème brûlée healthier? ›
These days, indulgent restaurant desserts usually share the stage with a healthier fruit component. If you see it, opt for panna cotta—a light, eggless custard—instead of crème brûlée, and a seasonal fruit crisp or tart rather than cheesecake or anything warm and chocolate.
What is the difference between flan and purin? ›
Purin (プリン) is a custard dessert made from eggs, milk, and sugar, and covered with a thin layer of rich caramel sauce on top. It's basically a Japanese take on crème caramel, also known as flan, custard pudding, or caramel pudding.
Is panna cotta the same as custard? ›
There's one main distinction that makes the two desserts so different, and it has to do with their makeup. Pudding and custard are thickened with egg yolks to give them their traditional appearance. Instead of egg yolks, panna cotta is hardened with gelatin, and egg yolks are not present within the recipe.
