Crema catalana

Step 1: Pour 650 ml of 2 ¾ cups whole milk into a pan with 1 strip lemon peel, 1 strip orange peel and 1 cinnamon stick. Heat over a medium heat until it just starts to bubble at the edge, then take off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Step 2: In a bowl whisk 6 egg yolks with 4 oz sugar until pale and thick. Whisk 1 oz cornflour into the rest of ½ cup whole milk until smooth, then whisk it into the yolks.

Step 3: Strain the warm milk into the yolk mixture, whisking all the time, then pour everything back into the pan.

Step 4: Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon and scraping the bottom, for 5–7 minutes, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spoon thickly and a few slow bubbles break the surface. Don't let it boil hard, or the yolks may scramble.

Step 5: Pour into 6 shallow ramekins or cazuelitas (about 12 cm wide). Cool, then cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or up to 2 days, until set.

Step 6: Just before serving, sprinkle each one with an even layer of 6 tbsp sugar (about 1 tablespoon) right to the edges. Caramelise with a blowtorch, moving it slowly, until the sugar melts, bubbles and turns deep amber.

Step 7: Leave for 1–2 minutes for the caramel to harden into a glassy crust, then serve. Tap it with a spoon: it should crack.