Natillas with Seasonal Red Berries

La storia di questo piatto

Natillas belong to the Spanish table as a quiet, homely comfort, a cream of milk, egg yolks and cinnamon that has long been a sweet of family kitchens. Here that gentle tradition meets the bright tartness of fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, touched with a thread of acacia honey.

Ingredienti

• 500 ml Whole milk
• 4 pc Egg yolks
• 100 g White sugar
• 20 g Cornstarch
• 1 pc Cinnamon stick
• 1 pc Untreated lemon (zest only, in strips)
• 150 g Fresh strawberries
• 100 g Fresh raspberries
• 80 g Fresh blueberries
• 25 g Acacia honey
• 1 pinch Ground cinnamon (for finishing)

Preparazione

1. Set aside 50 ml of cold milk. Pour the rest of the milk into a small saucepan and add the cinnamon stick and 3-4 strips of lemon zest, peeled with a vegetable peeler, leaving out the white pith. Heat over medium-low heat until the first wisps of steam and small bubbles appear at the edges, without boiling. Turn off the heat, cover, and let it infuse for 10 minutes.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in the 50 ml of cold milk, stirring until you have a smooth liquid free of lumps. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar for a couple of minutes, until the mixture is pale and homogeneous, then combine the milk with the cornstarch.
3. Bring the infused milk back to heat and pour it over the yolks in a thin stream, in three or four additions, whisking constantly: the gradual rise in temperature prevents the yolks from curdling. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, discarding the cinnamon and zest, and return it to the clean saucepan.
4. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking without pause and scraping the bottom and corners. Bring the custard to 82-85 °C, never letting it boil: after about 8-9 minutes it will thicken and coat the back of a spoon. Run a finger across the spoon; it should leave a clean line that does not close up. Remove from the heat immediately and keep stirring for a few more seconds.
5. Pour the custard into 4 small bowls or glasses and cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface, pressing it down to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, until the custard is cold and firmly set.
6. When serving, quickly rinse the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries under cold water and gently pat them dry with kitchen paper. Halve or quarter the strawberries. Warm the honey for 10 seconds in a water bath to make it more fluid, then drizzle it over the fruit arranged on the cold custard with a teaspoon. Finish with a pinch of ground cinnamon. Traditional variation: add a crumbled Maria biscuit.