My favourite Spanish dessert:

My favourite Spanish dessert:

TOCINO DE CIELO (Literally: BACON FROM HEAVEN)

This is a very rich dessert that you can also buy at a local “pastelería” if you are not quite sure about making it at home. As I said, it is extremely rich and sweet and should be eaten in small portions. You can make it in small moulds or use a larger mould and then cut it in small portions. Also, a candy thermometre is very useful to reach the correct syrup temperature.

Ingredients:

* 300 g sugar (azúcar)
* 250 g water (agua)
* 12 egg yolks (yemas de huevo) (You can use the egg whites to make a lemon meringue pie)

Preparation:

* Preheat oven to 180ºC
* Boil water and sugar for 5 minutes or until ir reaches a temperature of 103-105ºC (here is where the candy thermometre is very handy)
* Using a pastry brush, coate the inside of the mould or moulds with the syrup.
* Set aside the remaining syrup
* Whisk the egg yolks thoroughly.
* Stirring constantly and very gently, pour the remaining syrup
* Put the mixture through a fine sieve
* Pour the mixture into the prepared mould/moulds
* Bake in a bain-marie for some 40 minutes approximately or until a needle comes out clean
* Allow to cool in the mould/moulds
* Unmould to serve when completely cold.

It is also possible to coat the mould/moulds with caramel insted of syrup and use all of the syrup in the egg mixture. Some call this preparation with caramel “flan” but it is not the ordinary crème caramel as it does not contain milk.

You may find packets of a mix called “tocino de cielo” at your local shop or supermarket; however, you will be highly disappointed by the results once you have tasted the real product.