Latiya Custard Recipes

NATILLAS (CUSTARD)

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup milk and egg yolks in a large bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside. Set up a large bowl with ice cubes.
• Combine 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium over medium-high heat; gradually add remaining 1 3/4 cups milk, whisking constantly. Stir in whipping cream.
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to the milk mixture. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat.
• Gradually add half of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter to milk mixture and stir until well combined.
• Place pan in the prepared ice-filled bowl and allow to cool, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Spoon custard into a bowl. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla extract. Gently fold 1/2 cup of beaten egg whites into the cooled custard.
• Spoon about 1/2 cup custard into each of 8 bowls or footed glasses; top each serving with 1/4 cup remaining egg white mixture. Garnish with nutmeg.

COCONUT LATIYA

Steps:

• Slice pound cake into ½ inch thickness. (You can bake the pound cake from a mix or may also use Sara Lee's frozen pound cake in the freezer section.).
• Line the entire bottom of your 9 x 13 dish with cake. You will have to cut the pound cake slices into smaller pieces to fit around the corners or between the larger slices.
• Pour the coconut milk into the pot over medium high heat. Add the butter and sugar. Stir occasionally and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat slightly if necessary.
• While waiting for the milk to heat up, beat the eggs and vanilla in the medium bowl. Set aside. Mix the cornstarch and water in the small bowl. Set aside.
• When the milk comes to a boil, pour the egg mixture a little bit at a time into the milk, whisking quickly. Ignore the shreds of eggs as it will not be apparent in the final dessert. You may also temper the eggs, but it does change the texture of the custard.
• Stir constantly. Let the egg and milk mixture come to a gentle boil. Stir the cornstarch and water then pour into the gently boiling custard.
• Add the coconut and BE CAREFUL as the custard will splatter. Stir vigorously and cook for two minutes.
• Pour custard over cake and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cool uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes, then continue cooling it uncovered in the fridge.
• This coconut latiya is exceptional after two days!

CHAMORRO LATIYA DESSERT

Steps:

• Prepare the cake portion by slicing the cake into 1/4-inch thick by about 3-inch long slices. This is just approximate -- Layer the slices onto a platter, overlapping each piece just a bit. Make sure that the platter has a little lip to contain the custard and keeping it from spilling over. Completely cover the platter with the sliced cake. Cover and set aside.
• Make the custard by combining in a sauce pan, 1 1/3 cups water, bring this almost to a boil. Add the evaporated milk and the sugar. Mix the remaining water with the cornstarch and vanilla. Gradually add this to the milk mixture, making sure to stir constantly so not to scorch the custard.
• Once thickened, remove from heat and add the butter; whisk in the beaten eggs a little bit at a time, making sure to stir constantly and combine well. Pour the hot custard over the prepared cake and spread over to completely cover the cake slices.
• Sprinkle the cinnamon over the entire custard and let set. The amount depends on how much you like cinnamon. You could place this in the refrigerator or keep at room temperature, and once cooled completely, it's ready to serve.
• I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as the islanders do -- .
• Variation: This dessert can also be prepared using pound cake or the recipe for Brojas cake, that I also have posted.

NATILLAS (SPANISH CUSTARD)

Steps:

• Combine milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest in a saucepan over low heat. Cook for 10 minutes without letting it boil.
• Meanwhile, beat egg yolks and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in cornstarch. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and lump-free.
• Remove and discard cinnamon stick and lemon zest from milk. Gradually add egg yolk mixture to the milk, and beat with a whisk over low heat until mixture starts to thickens, about 10 minutes. Bring custard to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
• Pour custard into individual serving dishes and chill in the fridge until set, about 2 hours.