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Jericalla
Vanilla custard
Guadalajara's vanilla-cinnamon custard with a scorched top
Jericalla belongs to Guadalajara: legend says a nun at the city's Hospicio Cabañas orphanage made it in the 19th century to feed the children something nourishing. It is a firm baked custard of milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, between a flan and a crème brûlée, with no caramel underneath; the top is left in a hot oven until it blisters and darkens in patches. Tapatíos buy it in little glass pots from street carts and in the markets of Jalisco. Chef's tip: let the top darken properly under the grill at the end; those scorched spots are what makes it a jericalla rather than a plain custard.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups whole milk
- ½ vanilla podsplit, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ½ oz sugar
- 2 eggs
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 3 ¼ cups whole milk with 1 cinnamon stick (canela) and ½ vanilla pod in a saucepan over a medium heat until steaming, then take off the heat and leave for 15 minutes to infuse.
20 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Put six 150 ml ramekins in a roasting tin.
2 minStep 4: Strain into a jug and skim off any foam, then divide between the ramekins. Pour hot water into the tin to come halfway up their sides.
3 minStep 5: Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the custards are set at the edges with a slight wobble in the centre. Common mistake: baking too hot; the custard bubbles and turns spongy.
40 minStep 6: Lift the ramekins out of the water. Heat the grill to high and put them under it for 3–5 minutes, until the tops blister with dark brown patches. Watch closely.
5 minStep 7: Cool, then chill for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jericalla take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick (canela)?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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