Krema: A Bowl of Cinnamon-Scented Childhood
Growing up, this was the kind of sweet my mother would make without a second thought. No planning, no fuss, just a small pot on the stove, a few humble ingredients, and within minutes, something warm and soothing would appear. It wasn’t extravagant, but it didn’t need to be. Krema has a quiet kind of magic.
As it cooks, the scent of milk, vanilla, and sometimes a hint of orange gently fills the kitchen. But it’s the final touch, a generous dusting of cinnamon over the hot custard, that truly defines it. That aroma, rising up in soft, spiced warmth, instantly takes me back to childhood. To being cared for. To something made just for me.
Krema is, at its heart, simply custard. But calling it that never quite captures what it means in a Greek home. It’s comfort. It’s ease. It’s the kind of dessert that feels like a gesture more than a recipe, something made with instinct and love rather than precision.
And like many traditional dishes, it invites small personal touches. A strip of orange rind for fragrance, or my favourite, a scattering of crushed Greek biscuits on top, just as my mother would do.
KREMA | Warm Custard with Cinnamon - The Taste of a Mother’s Love
Mary PolitisIngredients
- 500 ml milk
- 60 g sugar
- 30 g cornflour
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 ribbon orange rind optional
- Ground cinnamon to serve
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the milk, sugar, vanilla, and orange rind (if using). Place over medium heat and warm until the mixture is just beginning to steam—do not let it boil.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornflour until smooth.
- Slowly ladle in about half of the warm milk mixture, one ladle at a time, whisking well between each addition to temper the eggs.
- Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the pot with the remaining milk. Return to medium heat and whisk continuously until the custard thickens and becomes smooth and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and discard the orange rind.
- Spoon into serving bowls while still warm and dust generously with ground cinnamon.
- For an extra touch—just like my mother—crumble a few Greek biscuits over the top before serving.