Crema de Vie
(kreh-mah deh vee-EH)
Nochebuena y Domingos en Familia: Rituals, Weekends, and Holidays
At ten o'clock on Nochebuena, a proper Cuban feast demands Crema de Vie. It is a dense, sweet, rum-soaked custard born of Caribbean sugarcane and canned pantry staples. For decades, making it meant stretching a can of condensed milk and a bottle of dark rum. Today, it is best made to the whir of the blender on a busy weeknight and savored in tiny cups among family. Chill the glass, add a dusting of nutmeg, and pass it on.
Ingredients
- granulated white sugar1 cup
- water1 cup
- cinnamon stick1 large
- pasteurized egg yolks6 large
- sweetened condensed milk14 oz
- evaporated milk12 oz
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- fine sea salt1 pinch
- white or dark rum3/4 cup
Method
- 01
Simmer the spiced syrup.
Combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium heat, simmering gently for 6 to 10 minutes until it reduces into a slightly thickened syrup.
- 02
Cool the syrup completely.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the syrup to reach room temperature to ensure it does not scramble the raw egg yolks later.
- 03
Blend the yolks.
Place the pasteurized egg yolks and salt in a blender, processing on medium speed for about two minutes until they are creamy and pale yellow.
- 04
Incorporate the milks.
With the blender running on low, pour in the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract, blending until completely smooth.
- 05
Emulsify with the syrup and rum.
Discard the cinnamon stick from the cooled syrup, then slowly stream both the syrup and the rum into the running blender, mixing for a final thirty seconds to create a frothy emulsion.
- 06
Bottle and chill.
Transfer the mixture into a sterilized glass bottle using a funnel and refrigerate for at least two hours, though resting it overnight profoundly deepens the flavor and texture.
Notes
Respect the serving size.
This is a rich, highly sweetened digestif, not a casual beverage; serve it well-chilled in tiny espresso cups or over a single ice cube in a rocks glass.
Make the syrup ahead of time.
You can prepare the spiced syrup days in advance and keep it in the fridge, making the actual assembly nearly instantaneous on a busy weeknight.
From Cook Cuban in America.