Pandan-Coconut Crema Catalana (Spanish × Southeast Asian)

Method

1. Rinse and dry the pandan leaves and tie them in a knot to release their fragrance. Set aside about a fifth of the milk in a small cup. Put the coconut milk, the rest of the milk, the pandan and the lime peel in a 16 cm saucepan over medium heat. When bubbles appear at the edge, turn off the heat, cover and infuse for 15 min.

   Add in this stepCoconut milk (tinned, well shaken) 160 mlWhole milk 72 mlPandan leaves (frozen are fine) 2Strip of lime peel (green part only) 1

   medium heat

2. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 2 min, stirring constantly, until light golden, then tip it onto a plate straight away; left in the hot pan it burns quickly.

   Add in this stepUnsweetened desiccated coconut 2 tbsp

   medium-low heat

3. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, cornflour, salt and the reserved milk for 2 min until smooth and pale.

   Add in this stepEgg yolks 2Caster sugar (for the custard) 40 gCornflour (cornstarch) 11 gSalt 1 pinchWhole milk 18 ml

4. Squeeze the pandan leaves into the pan to keep their flavour, then remove them with the lime peel. Pour the warm coconut milk onto the yolks a ladleful at a time, whisking, then pour everything back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5 min, stirring nonstop and scraping the bottom. It is done when thick and one or two big bubbles plop on the surface.

   medium-low heat

5. Divide between ×2 shallow dishes, press plastic wrap onto the surface, cool and refrigerate for at least 4 h.

6. Just before serving, blot the surface, sprinkle the topping sugar in a thin layer and torch until amber (about 2 min in total). Once the sugar has hardened, scatter the toasted coconut around the edge and serve.

   Add in this stepCaster sugar (for the burnt top) 2 tbsp