Recipe: Sweet Egg Dessert/ Tocinillo del Cielo

Sweet Egg Dessert/Tocinillo de Cielo

This is a specialty from the Asturian town of Grado although other regions of Spain also claim to have invented it. One such is Jerez de la Frontera where whites of egg are used to clarify sherries so this was originally a useful way of using up the yolks.
Servings: 8

1 cup water
1 lb sugar
12 egg yolks
2 egg whites

Dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for 5 minutes. Leave to cool so the syrup becomes thicker; then pour some over the base and walls of the mold to coat.

Break up the egg yolks and whites in a bowl but without beating them, to prevent the formation of bubbles. Pour in the remaining syrup in a thin stream, stirring all the time. Fill the mold with this mixture, cover with the aluminum foil and steam for 20 minutes. When cold, turn out.

Serve on its own or with a raspberry sauce made by blending fresh raspberries with a splash of lemon juice and sugar.

This dessert is often made in very small, bite-sized molds that only need to be cooked in the double boiler for 2 minutes.

Source: Spain GourmeTour magazine.