Natillas

Yields 4 cups/ servings

Doubles easily

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Finishing and cooling time: 60 minutes or longer

Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZ0V2p_JYbo/?utm_medium=copy_link

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 2 jumbo or xtra-large eggs separated (yolks for natillas, whites for meringue or freeze and save for another use)

  • 1/3 cup sugar 

  • 1 Tbl cornstarch

  • 1 tsp vanilla 

  • Pinch of salt

  • Cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup additional sugar for meringue

Preparation:

  1. Heat milk until small bubbles just begin to boil. 

  2. Meanwhile, beat yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy. Add cornstarch and whisk until there are no lumps. Mix in vanilla and salt. 

  3. Slowly add half of the boiled milk mixture into the eggs, continuously whisking to temper them. 

  4. Once tempered add the mixture to the remaining milk in the saucepan, on low/medium heat and stir until mixture thickens, a couple of minutes. The back of a wooden spoon should be coated when it's ready. Let the mixture come to the boiling point for 1 minute to achieve the full thickening power of the cornstarch.

  5. Take off heat and continue stirring to avoid getting any lumps. 

  6. If using butter biscuits, line the serving dish before the custard goes in. They may float to the top, that’s ok, they will eventually go to the bottom.

  7. Pour into an 8 - 9 inch deep dish pie plate and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the surface touches the plastic. This will keep a film from forming. 

  8. Refrigerate until ready to eat.


Serving ideas:

Easy version: Top with cinnamon and serve. 

Dinner Party Presentation:

Butter biscuits to line the bottom of the serving dish

Swiss Meringue

Blowtorch

Swiss meringue: 

Place room temperature egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer. Place the stand mixer bowl over a pot of simmering water, beat with whisk continuously until sugar is dissolved. When you touch the egg whites, you should not feel any sugar granules. Move bowl to the stand mixer and whisk on high speed until thick and glossy stiff peaks form. 

Place meringue on top of natillas and form swirls or simply a smooth layer.

With a blow torch, direct the flame evenly over the meringue, careful not to burn.

If you don’t have a blow torch, place the dish (oven safe) in the broiler to toast the meringue. Be very careful not to burn. Don’t walk away!

Serve immediately.

See video on IG: Making Natillas