Natillas

Natillas - fancy version with meringue

Do you love custard? Custard is one of my absolute favorite desserts, and anything with custard is at the top of my list of favorites. I love it in a trifle, in milhojas, in donuts, and just warm in a bowl topped with cinnamon, and honestly (but somewhat shamefully), I could drink it out of the pot.

There are variations of custard or natillas, as we call them in Spain. Crème anglaise, pastry cream, pudding, crème brûlée, crema catalan… so many versions of what is essentially cooked milk and eggs. In Spain The most basic everyday custard is natillas. It is thinner than a traditional pastry cream, which is used for fillings. It is simple, but also elegant when served with meringue and lightly torched. The French have a slightly fancier version called Ile Flottante, which translates to floating island because the meringue floats on the custard, then is draped with caramel, mimicking clouds.

The version I am sharing with you is simple, yet elegant.  It's the way my husband and I make it for Christmas or special occasions. The warm custard is poured over store-bought butter biscuits, which are nestled on the bottom of the serving dish. The egg whites are beaten into meringue, Swiss meringue works best here, then slathered on top of the cooled custard, and torched before serving. There are fewer smells more pleasant than meringue requemado (brûléed). The custard can be made ahead of time, and the meringue should be finished just before serving for best results and presentation.

I hope you give it a try.