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.