Today I shared with you Miguel Maestre’s wonderful Spanish cookbook Spanish Cooking and his recipe for King Prawn in jamon with romesco coulis (Caballitos con salsa romesco) which is one of my favourites from this book.
Here is a mouthwatering superb puff pastry treat from the same book – Creme quemada con hojaldre (which I am proud to say I have mastered) – Burnt custard with puff pastry. Miguel notes that these delicious mouthfuls remind him of Sunday afternoons when his father would come back from the confiteria with one full tray of crema quemada con Hojaldre, which after homework was done, would be eaten before going to bed! The key is to make sure that you burn the sugar so that you get a really crusty caramel on top.
This recipe will serve 8 although you may find that as they are so very delicious, that people will want to come back for seconds!! Wonderful as an afternoon treat, but sensational as a dessert!! Add a glass of bubbly and need I say more…..
Crema quemada con hojaldre
3 cups (750ml/24fl oz) milk
½ cup (75g/2½oz) plain flour
190g (6½oz) caster sugar, plus extra for caramelising
4 egg yolks
1 cinnamon quill
2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF),
Place ½ cup (125ml) milk in a small bowl. Add flour, sugar and egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
Place remaining milk and cinnamon in a medium saucepan on medium heat and bring to a simmer. Gradually add egg mixture, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth. Continue cooking, stirring, for 4-5 minutes, until mixture bubbles and thickens. Discard cinnamon. Transfer custard to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap and cool completely.
Meanwhile, place pastry sheets on 2 separate trays lined with baking paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until puffed and golden. Cool
Spread 1½ cups custard on a serving platter to the same size as the pastry sheet. Top with pastry sheet, another 1½ cups of custard and remaining pastry sheet. Sprinkle with extra sugar, and using a blowtorch, caramelise the top.
