Tocino de Cielo

Makes Six 3-Ounce Custards

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups water, divided

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

  • 4 cinnamon sticks

  • Two 3-inch strips orange peel

  • Two 3-inch strips lemon peel

  • 12 large egg yolks

  • 2 tsp vanilla paste

  • Pinch of kosher salt

1)     Combine 2 cups of the water, 1 cup of the sugar, the cinnamon sticks, orange peel, and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 225ºF on a candy thermometer, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for one hour.

2)     Combine the remaining water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches a deep amber color, about 15 to 20 minutes. Pour a thin layer of the caramel into six 3-ounce ramekins. Let cool.

3)     Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

4)     Fill a tea kettle with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5)     Strain the cooled syrup into a large bowl. Discard the cinnamon sticks and citrus peels. Whisk the egg yolks into the syrup. Stir in a pinch of kosher salt and the 2 tsp of vanilla paste. Divide the mixture among the caramel-lined ramekins. Arrange the ramekins in a deep pan large enough to comfortably fit them. Pour enough hot water from the tea kettle into the pan to make a 1-inch-high bath around the ramekins. Bake the custards until they jiggle slightly when gently shaken, about 40 minutes. Let the custards cool in the water-filled pan for at least one hour.  Cover them individually with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight (even better).

6)     To serve, gently run a knife around the outside of each custard to loosen it. To remove a custard from its ramekin, place a small plate over top of the ramekin and carefully flip it upside down. Lift up the ramekin—the custard should slide out and stay on the serving plate.

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Plum, Apple and Hazelnut Bundt with a Caramel Glaze