Tocino de Cielo (Spanish Heavenly Egg Yolk Custard)
A dense, silky custard of egg yolks and sugar syrup over a dark burnt sugar topping. Rich, so serve small slices.
- Time1 hr + chilling
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.40 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Put 100 g sugar and 2 tbsp water in a small pan. Cook without stirring until it turns deep amber, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour quickly into a 1 litre loaf tin and tilt to coat the base.
7 min - 2
Put 200 g sugar, 200 ml water, the cinnamon and lemon peel in a pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove the cinnamon and peel and leave to cool for 10 minutes until warm, not hot.
5 min - 3
Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg together gently, then slowly pour in the warm syrup, whisking as you go. Strain through a sieve into the tin.
- 4
Cover tightly with foil. Put the tin in a roasting dish and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the tin.
- 5
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the custard is set with a slight wobble in the middle.
42 min - 6
Cool completely, then chill for 4 hours. Run a knife round the edge and turn out onto a plate. Cut into small slices.
240 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
