How to make Tocinillo de cielo (Fat from heaven)

Celebrity chef Omar Allibhoy shows how to make a heavenly creamy dessert

In this video, Tapas Revolution chef Omar Allibhoy demonstrates how to make Tocinillo de cielo – a dish similar to a crème caramel dating back to the 14^th century and originated in Andalucian city Jerez de la Frontera, near Cadiz, where egg whites were used to clarify wine and so the remaining egg yolks were given to the nunnery to re-use them and so they created this rich dessert.


 Tapas Revolution's Omar Allibhoy's heavenly dessert

How to make Tocinillo de cielo (Fat from heaven)

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Plus chilling

Ingredients

130g sugar

50ml water

Strip of lemon zest

4 egg yolks

1 egg

For the caramel

2 tbsps sugar

2 tbsps water

Method

Find a small ovenproof dish for this dessert – it’s very sweet so you only make it in small quantities.

Put the sugar and water for the caramel into the dish and place over a medium heat until it turns to caramel and is a lovely golden colour.

Swirl the caramel all over the bottom of the dish and a little up the sides. Set aside.

Put the sugar, water and lemon zest into a small pan over a medium heat. When it comes to the boil, let it bubble for a further 3 minutes. Take off the heat and remove and discard the lemon zest. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Very gently whisk together the egg yolks with the whole egg – you do not want to create any froth.

Pour the warm syrup into the egg mixture in a thin, steady stream, whisking as you do so. Keep whisking until it is completely incorporated.

Pour this mixture into the coated caramel–coated dish and place the dish inside a deep-sided roasting tin. Pour in a couple of fingers’ depth of cold water (to create a bain marie) and put the whole thing in a cold oven.

Turn the temperature to 160°C/gas mark 3 and cook for 25 minutes or until set. Take care not to overcook – it should still have a slight wobble.

Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Run the point of a knife around the edge of the dish and then turn out on to a plate. Do not eat too much of this as it is extremely calorific, but it is a real treat.

Omar has two cookbooks. Spanish Made Simple: Foolproof Spanish Recipes For Every Day (Quadrille) and Tapas Revolution: 120 Simple Classic Spanish Recipes (Ebury Press).