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1
Warm the Spiced Milk
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 80°C (175°F)
Put the 480ml of whole milk in a medium saucepan with the cinnamon stick and the 2g of lemon zest. Heat over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the milk is steaming and small bubbles appear around the edge — about 80°C (175°F). Do not let it boil. Take the pan off the heat.
Milk boils over in seconds once it starts, so stay by the pan and pull it off the heat as soon as it steams.
Done when: Steaming milk with small bubbles at the edge, smelling faintly of cinnamon and lemon.
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2
Whisk the Yolks with Condensed Milk
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Whisk the 6 egg yolks in a large heatproof bowl for about 2 minutes, until they turn pale yellow and a little thick. Add the 397g of sweetened condensed milk and the 1g of ground nutmeg, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Whisking the yolks pale first is what makes the finished ponche crema thick and silky instead of thin.
Done when: A smooth, pale golden cream with no streaks of yolk.
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3
Temper and Cook the Custard
10 Mins
Low heat, about 74°C (165°F), never above 82°C (180°F)
Pour a ladle of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking all the time, then pour in the rest in a slow stream, still whisking. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and reaches 74°C (165°F). Do not let it boil, or the yolks will curdle.
If you see the first flecks of curdling, take the pan straight off the heat and whisk hard — it can often be saved if you catch it early.
Done when: A custard that coats the back of a spoon and holds a line when you draw a finger through it, at 74°C (165°F).
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4
Add the Rum and Vanilla
2 Mins
Off the heat, cooling from about 74°C (165°F)
Take the pan off the heat. Fish out the cinnamon stick and discard it. Stir in the 120ml of aged rum and the 10ml of vanilla extract until everything is combined.
The rum goes in off the heat so its flavour stays bright and the custard does not thin out.
Done when: A smooth, pale gold liqueur with no lumps and a warm smell of rum and vanilla.
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5
Chill Until Ice-Cold
4 hours (chilling)
Chilled, about 4°C (40°F)
Pour the ponche crema through a fine sieve into a clean bottle or jug, put the lid on, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until it is ice-cold and thick. It thickens as it chills.
Straining catches any tiny flecks of cooked egg and any zest, so the drink pours perfectly smooth.
Done when: Ice-cold, thick and silky when poured.
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6
Serve in Small Glasses
5 Mins
Ice-cold, about 4°C (40°F)
Shake the bottle well, then pour the ponche crema into small glasses — about 138 g per glass. Dust each glass with a pinch of the ground cinnamon and serve at once, ice-cold.
Small glasses are traditional: ponche crema is rich and strong, and a little goes a long way.
Done when: Cold, thick glasses of pale gold ponche crema, dusted with cinnamon.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Shake the chilled bottle well, pour into small glasses, dust each with a pinch of ground cinnamon, and serve ice-cold.
Venezuela
3h
