Crema Catalana (Catalan Cream) vs Rizogalo: Creamy Greek Rice Pudding

Both desserts start from milk thickened with cornstarch, yet they land in very different places on the spoon. Crema Catalana leans on egg yolks for a silky, custard-like body, perfumed by a cinnamon stick and lemon peel steeped in the milk, then finished with a sugar crust torched until it shatters. Rizogalo lets short-grain rice do much of the work, releasing starch for a thick, comforting creaminess, with vanilla in the pot and ground cinnamon dusted on top. One is bright, citrusy and crackly; the other is mellow, soft and gently spiced.