Posted on Monday, June 16, 2025 in
Dessert Recipes
Quick Leite Crème (Portuguese Dessert) Recipe
This recipe makes a delicious, and quick leite crème (Portuguese dessert), similar to a crème brûlée but less sweet and with a distinct lemon flavor.
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Preparation time | 10 min |
Cooking Time | 15 min |
Ready In | 25 min |
Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Servings | 4 |
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories | 361 |
Fat | 22g |
Carbs | 34g |
Protein | 8g |
Ingredients
2 ½ cups half-fat milk (lactose-free can be used)4 egg yolks1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar1 heaping tablespoon cornstarchPeel of 1 lemon (yellow part only, no white pith)Granulated sugar (for brûlée) or ground cinnamon (for dusting)
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Preparation
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks, and mix well until smooth.
- Gradually whisk in the milk a little at a time, ensuring the mixture is well dissolved and no lumps remain.
- Add the lemon peel to the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency (be patient and keep stirring to prevent scorching).
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and discard the lemon peel.
- Divide the custard evenly among individual serving bowls.
- Let the custard cool completely.
- You can refrigerate it once cooled to serve chilled.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the top of each custard serving dish with a thin layer of granulated sugar.
- Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it's golden brown and bubbly.
- Alternatively, you can simply dust with ground cinnamon.
Recipe & Photo Credit: Noz Moscada e Gengibre
Have you ever tried Portuguese leite crème dessert? Let us know what you think of it in the comments. 🙂
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