Crema De Café
"Coffee Cream"
From the treasured pages of Cuaderno de Carmen Volante
Written by Cármen Volante
Crema De Café
"A 1/2 lb. de café muy cargado, 3 cuartillos de leche endulzada al gusto, 16 yemas de huevo batidas, un poco de arroz molido con leche. colado todo esto se pone a hervir y se está menando hasta que se espesa y queda en disposición de vaciarlo en copitas."
English Translation
"To 1/2 lb. of very strong coffee, add 3 quarts of milk sweetened to taste, 16 beaten egg yolks, and a little rice ground with milk. Strain all of this, then bring it to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens and is ready to be poured into small cups."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in the concise, instruction-light style typical of early 20th-century Mexican manuscripts. Precision measurements are rare; cooks were expected to know how sweet 'to taste' meant, or how much rice flour made a custard 'thick.' Spanish spelling from this period is largely modern, though certain culinary terms (like 'cuartillo' for liquid measure) may sound archaic. This recipe reflects a hands-on, experience-based approach, with layers of tasks implied rather than spelled out.
Title
Cuaderno de Carmen Volante (1904)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Cármen Volante
Era
1904
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A handwritten culinary treasure from 1904, this manuscript brims with delicious soups, salsas, tantalizing meat entrées, embutidos, fresh fish, irresistible desserts, preserves, cakes, and refreshing drinks. Each page tempts with recipes sure to inspire any gourmet’s imagination.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe for Crema de Café comes from a handwritten Mexican cookbook compiled by Carmen Volante in 1904. The cookbook, a representative snapshot of early 20th-century upper-class Mexican kitchens, mixes European influences with local flair. At the time, recipes reflected both a fascination with French-inspired custards and the growing popularity of coffee as a luxurious flavoring in desserts. Manuscript cookbooks like this were treasured family documents, meant to be shared with future generations and used for special gatherings.
In 1904, the Crema de Café would have been prepared in heavy enamel or copper saucepans, stirred with long wooden spoons or hand-whisks. Coffee would be brewed in a percolator or a cloth filter pot. The mixture was likely strained through a fine cloth or sieve to ensure a silky texture. The finished crema was then poured into glass or porcelain cups, perhaps chilled in an icebox for an elegant presentation.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Servings
16
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 8 oz very strong brewed coffee
- 3 quarts whole milk
- 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 16 egg yolks
- 1 oz rice flour (or substitute with cornstarch or ground rice mixed with milk)
Instructions
- To make Crema de Café in a modern kitchen, brew about 8 ounces of very strong coffee and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine 3 quarts of milk, sweetened to taste with sugar—around 1 cup is a good estimate.
- In a separate bowl, whisk 16 egg yolks until smooth.
- Slowly temper the eggs by adding a bit of the hot sweetened milk, whisking constantly, before combining all the milk with the yolks.
- For thickening, add 2–3 tablespoons (about 1 ounce) of rice flour or finely ground rice, pre-mixed with a little milk to avoid clumping.
- Once everything is mixed and strained for smoothness, return the mixture to the stove.
- Gently heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency.
- Serve warm or cold in small cups.
Estimated Calories
220 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and measuring the ingredients, as well as brewing the coffee and whisking the eggs, takes around 20 minutes. Cooking and gently thickening the custard takes about 25 minutes. This recipe makes about 16 servings, with each serving containing about 220 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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