Crema Catalana

Ingredients

• 8 large egg yolks
• 1.25 cups white sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 organic lemon
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
• 1 (3 inch) vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 8 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Steps

1. Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in cornstarch.
2. Peel lemon in one piece. Combine milk, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, and vanilla seeds in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and allow the milk to get infused with the flavorings for 30 minutes and cool. Whisk egg yolk-sugar mixture into the lukewarm milk.
3. Return to heat and simmer, stirring constantly, over low heat until cream thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Spoon cream into 8 ovenproof ramikens and allow to cool completely, at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
5. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar onto each ramiken and set under the broiler until sugar caramelizes, 1 to 2 minutes. Pay close attention so sugar does not burn.