Mark, known as the Englishman in Dubrovnik, is sharing with you a very traditional dessert from his adopted hometown, Dubrovnik. It’s relatively similar to crème caramel custard and is particularly popular in the warmer summer months. Perfect for you readers in the southern hemisphere.
Tko je Mark? (Who is Mark)
Mark Thomas is an inspiration for me. He proves that you can be a successful expat in Croatia.
Mark & his Dubrovnik-born wife came to live in the ‘pearl of the Adriatic’ for a year – and 15 years later, he is still here with no plans to head back to London. He speaks fluent Croatian and writes for a Croatian Magazine, and is also the editor for the Dubrovnik times; and he also has his own blog Englishman in Dubrovnik, which is an excellent site for all news and information about the popular coastal town of Croatia. See, I told you, what an inspiration, right?
Mark tells me that this dessert he is sharing with you got its name from a Dubrovnik liquor made from roses, which was initially used to flavor this flan-like dessert. Rozata can be found on almost every menu in Dubrovnik restaurants.
Croatian Rožata Recipe From Dubrovnik
This typical Croatian Rožata recipe from Dubrovnik is shared by Mark, the Englishman in Dubrovnik.
Ingredients
Rožata
- 6 eggs
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 500 ml of milk (2 1/4 cup)
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar (or vanilla essence)
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
Caramel sauce
- 8 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
Caramel
- Add the 8 tablespoons of sugar into a pan and then place on low heat until it dissolves. Then turn up the heat until the sugar syrup takes on a golden brown color. Do not mix the sugar during this process
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully spread the caramel into the ceramic serving bowls. This must be done fairly quickly as the caramel will harden very quickly...believe me! Then turn the serving bowls upside down so that the caramel slowly covers the sides and leave to cool
Rožata
- Preheat the oven to 150°C or 300°F
- Warm the milk in a bowl and slowly add the sugar until it dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature
- Next, whisk the eggs together with the two teaspoons of vanilla sugar. It’s better to use a fork or hand whisk for this as you don’t want the eggs to foam
- Add the lemon zest and rum and gently mix
- Now pour the milk into the mixture and slowly stir until everything is combined together
- Pour the resulting mixture slowly through a sieve and then into the ceramic serving bowls with the caramel
- Place the serving bowls into a deep baking tray and then add hot water to about 2/3 the height of the ceramic serving bowls
- Bake for about 30 minutes, then carefully remove the bowls from the hot water and leave them to cool to room temperature
- Cover the ceramic bowls with cling film and place in the refrigerator to fully chill
When ready to serve, turn the bowls upside down, the caramel sauce will flow over the Dubrovnik Rožata.
Before you rush off and make Mark’s tasty dessert, don’t forget to bookmark Englishman in Dubrovnik so that when you visit, you’ll be in the know on what to eat and see while you’re in Dubrovnik.
Thoughts on the Dubrovnik Rožata? Do you have a Croatian recipe you’d like me to feature? Let me know in the comments below.