bacon of heaven

When Claudia suggested that I prepare a recipe with Ilsa flaneras , I immediately replied that I wanted to make my tocinillos de cielo. They are such an exquisite and delicate snack that I wanted to show you how to make them at home. And every time I serve them in a meeting, they triumph.

In the pastry shops in my area, they usually sell tocinillos de cielo in a small format, but I prefer to prepare them with the 8 cm flan pans and they are the size of a flan. They don't seem heavy to me at all. And if a diner doesn't want to eat it whole, they can always share it!

In case you didn't know, tocinillo de cielo has monastic origins, specifically in the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Jerez de la Frontera and it is said that they were already preparing it in the 19th century. XIV. The winemakers of Jerez clarified the wine with egg whites and donated the unused yolks to the convent. To take advantage of these yolks, the nuns invented this sweet that has survived to this day.

Laura Ashley porcelain bowl , ILSA stainless steel flan bowls , Laura Ashley porcelain plates and Laura Ashley kitchen towel

Ingredients (for 8 8 cm flaneras)

• 500 g sugar
• 200 ml water
• 14 yolks
• 2 eggs

Candy:

• 150g sugar
• 2 tablespoons of water

Preparation

1. In a saucepan , put the 500 g of sugar together with the water and bring it to a boil. The mixture should cook until it reaches 110º (you can measure it with a sugar thermometer). If you don't have a thermometer, you can do it with the traditional method. Scoop up some syrup with a spoon and let it drain. It will be ready when the syrup drains in a continuous stream. This is what is known as the tear point.
2. When the syrup is ready, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
3. While the syrup cools, prepare the caramel. Put the sugar and water in apan and bring it to the heat. Do not stir or the sugar will crystallize. When it has caramelized, remove it from the heat and pour the caramel over the bottom of the flan pans. Spread the caramel also on the edges.
4. Now prepare the mixture for the bacon. In a bowl, put the yolks and eggs and mix with a whisk. Do it slowly so as not to incorporate air.
5. Strain the yolks and, when the syrup does not burn, pour it in a stream over them, beating all the time, but slowly, so as not to incorporate air.
6. Distribute the mixture into the flan pans and cover them with aluminum foil.
7. To set the bacon, heat the oven to 180º and place a tray with hot water inside. We will cook the bacon in a water bath for 30-40 minutes. To check if they are ready, prick with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out dry, they are ready.
8. Remove from the oven and let cool in the refrigerator for several hours before consuming.
9. To remove them from the mold, run the tip of a knife around the bacon and pry the bottom a little to allow air to enter. If you do it carefully, they will come out perfectly without breaking.

Laura Ashley porcelain plates , Laura Ashley porcelain bowl , ILSA stainless steel flan bowls and Laura Ashley kitchen towel