Colombian Natilla Recipe (Custard) (2024)

FAQs

What is Colombian natilla made of? ›

This Colombian Natilla features a perfect combination of cinnamon, condensed milk and shredded coconut - a Colombian Christmas classic!

Natilla is a rich, creamy egg custard popular in many Latin American countries. Variations of this smooth, sweetly spicy dessert can be found in Mexico, Spain, Cuba, Costa Rica and Colombia. Natilla is a simple comfort food made with sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Flan is an egg-based custard, while Colombian natilla is made from milk and cornstarch. Flan is baked, whereas natilla is simmered, then cooled. And while flan is typically topped with a runny caramel sauce, natilla is garnished with ground cinnamon and shredded coconut.

Spain

Natillas / Origin

Translation of natilla – Spanish-English dictionary

custard [noun] milk, eggs etc cooked together and flavoured.

Natilla is a rich, custard-like dessert that is traditionally enjoyed at Christmas, especially in Colombia. It is usually served alongside round deep-fried cheese fritters called buñuelos.

3 Varieties of Custard

There are three main varieties of custard: baked custard, stirred custard, and steamed custard. The first two are both popular in Western cuisine. Baked custard is typically firmer and made with whole eggs, while stirred custards can be much runnier and often only contain the yolks.

The British word 'pudding' is commonly used to refer to any sweet dessert eaten after a meal. Americans use the term only to mean an egg custard that is usually sweet but could also be savory. The most popular custards of this type in the US are chocolate, vanilla and butterscotch.

Custard is a creamy, light dessert or sauce made from boiling or baking an egg-and-milk mixture. Custards are of two types—stirred or baked. They are used as desserts, sauces, bases for other desserts, and some savory dishes, such as a quiche or a frittata.

The dessert is often sprinkled with cinnamon on top before serving in order to improve its flavors even further. It is believed that natillas was invented by nuns who used to prepare it in convents across Europe.

What is natilla used for? ›

Natilla, sometimes also called natillas, is a sweet dessert popular in many Latin American countries and Spain. Natilla can refer to several sweet custard type dishes typically made with milk, eggs, and sugar.

Crème caramel (French: [kʁɛm kaʁamɛl]), flan, caramel pudding, condensed milk pudding or caramel custard is a custard dessert with a layer of clear caramel sauce.

Natillas came to South America with the Spaniards. A milk-based custard, the Spanish version is thickened with egg yolks and sweetened with sugar. What is this? This recipe first appeared in the city of Antioquia, where the recipe was adapted to the most common ingredients in Colombia.

History. Custards baked in pastry (custard tarts) were very popular in the Middle Ages, and are the origin of the English word 'custard': the French term croustade originally referred to the crust of a tart, and is derived from the Italian word crostata, and ultimately the Latin crustāre.

During the late middle ages egg whites were used to remove tannin particles from wine which nuns and monks were charged with making, and an abundance of egg yolks may well account for the decadent custards developed in those times, natillas included.

Colombians love plantains and eat them baked and roasted, sweet and savoury. They form a vital part of national dishes including bandeja paisa, where plantains are served alongside mincemeat, pork and red beans, rice, chorizo, arepa, avocado, a fried egg and other staples.

Colombian dishes and ingredients vary widely by region; however, some of the most common ingredients includes an endless variety of staples. Cereals such as rice and maize; tubers such as potato and cassava; assorted legumes; meats, including beef, chicken, pork and goat; and fish and other seafood.

Sazon. While Sazón is a popular seasoning blend widely used in Latin American cuisine, including Colombian dishes, While not native to Colombian cuisine, it's a very popular spice mix that combines garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, cumin, achiote, and salt.