Natillas (Soft Custard)

This recipe is originally from "Cocinas de New Mexico", published by Public Service Company of New Mexico. I found it here http://blog.bottger.com/2009/11/new-mexico-dessertsflan-vs-natillas.html (As usual, I changed it a bit.)

The Public Service Company of New Mexico was the electric and gas company for the state of New Mexico and collected traditional New Mexican recipes for their cookbook (back in the day) and posted them online more recently. https://www.pnm.com/cocinas-cookbook

Yield:  6 servings

Begin by separating four eggs and setting the whites aside for use later. Then add the following to a small mixing bowl.

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup of whole milk

Stir to make a smooth pase and set aside.

Heat the following in medium saucepan.

• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 whole nutmeg
• 1/2 whole cinnamon stick

Scald (which means put a thermometer in the mixture and heat on medium or, perhaps, low-medium until the mixture just reaches 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). You will need to stir continuously with a wire whisk to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan or forming a skin on top.

Then remove from heat.

Immediately, while stirring the egg mixture in the mixing bowl, begin to slowly add the almost boiling sugary milk to that first bowl with the eggs and flour. Do this SLOWLY and stir the eggs as you add hot milk it to slowly bring the temperature of the eggs up. If you do this too quickly you end up with scrambled eggs. If you do it slowly, you end up with the beginning of a custard.

Add it to the mixture (but you have to prepare the vanilla bean)

• 1 1/2 inch vanilla bean
• 1 tsp Laphroaig Scotch (or other very smoky Islay Scotch Whiskey)

Split the bean open and scraping the soft fragrant inside into the mixture. Stir well with a whisk. Put it all back into the saucepan and cook at medium heat until a soft custard consistency is reached. It should take about 8 minutes (give or take a couple) and the mixture will become visibly thicker.

When you decide it's thick enough, remove what is now a custard from the heat. Pour it back into the mixing bowl, set it on the counter and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Beat

• 4 egg whites

in a mixing bowl until they are stiff but not dry.

Fold the egg whites into the custard and chill. (You can not keep this in the refrigerator for too long. It will begin to separate, leaving a clear liquid in the bottom of the bow.)

To serve, spoon into individual dishes and garnish with grated (or ground) nutmeg.

Option:
Do not use ground spices when heating the mixture. If you do not have the whole spices, you can add a very small amount or cinnamon and nutmeg when you remove the custard from the heat and stir them in well. Also you can add a bit of vanilla extract at the same time as the Scotch. (Or in place of the Scotch.)