Over the years I’ve tried to learn the art of diplomacy. It’s not something that comes easily to me. My father is one of the most blunt people that I know and thinks nothing of being brutally blunt much to the amusement of those in the know around him and the flushed looks of the offended. He would always end off with a puzzled look and a “Whaaat?” not quite knowing how or why he had offended someone.
At home, dinner conversations used to go a little like this.
My mother: “Do you like it? It took me five hours to make it, what do you think?” she would say after spooning some onto his plate.
My father: “It’s ok” (shrugs)
My mother: “Well…that took a lot of time” (sniffs)
My father: “It’s ok… but I have had better. And you got sauce on my spoon”.
Over the years we’ve had to explain his behaviour to others with a “Don’t worry, he’s just like that” and Mr NQN and I laughed recently at how he has managed to get away with all sorts of bluntness. We discussed the merits of having an “Answer your emails in a blunt way day” i.e. you would pick a random day of the week when you can be brutally honest in your emails. If your boss asks you “Do you mind staying up all night and writing that presentation only for me to present it like I wrote it?” you would answer “Yes in fact Bill* I really do. You see I’m busy reading gossip blogs and after that I’m going home to drink too much and think of ways to bludgeon you and make it look like an accident”.
I considered putting this post up in time for Valentines Day but I thought better of it given the literal English translation of the Spanish name Tocino de Cielo. I imagined a conversation going like this.
“This was a perfect Valentines Day dinner, what did you make for dessert?”
“Something that’s just you honey – Heaven’s Little Pig…”
Silence
“I’ve always hated you”.
Heaven’s Little Pig is a dessert for those eager bakers that always seem to have a surplus of egg yolks. Egg whites are fine, they freeze well and seem to last almost forever but the yolks, well bakers will know the dilemma. We’ve made brulees and custards and cakes trying to use up our supply but sometimes you may want something different. Something that uses up a mother lode of egg yolks. This simple custard is made up purely of egg yolks and sugar and is reminiscent of creme caramel. It’s from the cookbook Miguel’s Tapas by Miguel Maestre and I made this because when I mentioned it a few weeks back a few of you asked me to. I first tried it at The Provenance where it was a a spoonful of heaven.
I didn’t make it using 36 yolks but I had 4 egg yolks spare and adjusted the recipe accordingly using a calculator. I’ve given the original recipe with all 36 eggs full of indulgent richness. This is best made the day before and then refrigerated-I have read that is tastes too much like sugared egg yolks otherwise. I waited until the next day and tried it. Oh me oh my, it was rich, creamy and wobbly and worth every calorie.
So tell me Dear Reader, are you a very diplomatic person?
*Bill is Bill Lumbergh from my favourite film ever Office Space.
Heaven’s Little Pig Pudding (Tocino De Cielo)
Adapted from Miguel’s Tapas by Miguel Maestre by New Holland $45
Makes 1x 30cms/12 inch one (I made two medium ramekins with 4 egg yolks and adjusting the recipe accordingly)
For custard
- 1 kg/2lb caster sugar
- 1 litre /32 fl ozs water
- 2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped out
- 1 cinnamon quill
- finely grated rind of 1 lemon
- 36 egg yolks
For caramel
- 250g/8ozs caster sugar
- 250ml/8 fl ozs water
1. Make the custard first as it needs to cool. Stir the sugar and water in a medium sized heavy based saucepan over medium heat without boiling, untik teh sugar dissolves. Add vanilla beans and seeds, cinnamon and rind. Boil gently for about 15 minutes or until it thickens to a syrup and large bubbles appear ont he surface. You do not want the syrup to colour). Strain through a sieve. Cool.
2. Make caramel. Place the 250ml of water and the 250g of sugar and in a medium sized heavy based saucepan and stir over medium heat without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Brush any stray sugar crystals into the syrup with a wet pastry brush. Bring to a boil uncovered without stirring until the syrup turns a golden colour. Pour it into a deep, ungreased overproof dish or cake pan. Allow to set (it doesn’t take long to set).
3. Preheat oven to 170C/360F and set a kettle of water to boil. Back to the custard. The syrup should have now cooled (I rested the bowl of syrup on top of a bowl of ice cubes to hurry it along). Whisk egg yolks in a large glass bowl until combined. Gradually beat in the cooled syrup. Skim off any bubbles or froth as you want the surface to be smooth. Pour the custard over the set caramel toffee.
4. Place the round dish in another baking dish and make a water bath by carefully pouring the recently boiled kettle water around the round dish until it reaches about halfway up the outside. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until custard is just set (I baked my 4 egg custard for longer than initially thought, about 25 minutes). Cool for minutes and remove the round dish from the baking dish. Cool to room temperature.
5. Carefully dunk the round dish in some hot water to loosen it. Run a sharp, thin knife around the edge of the custard and insert onto a plate. Place in the fridge overnight.
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81 Comments | Add your own
I love the name of these gorgeous little puddings, Lorraine! And you are so right, sometimes you just need something a little different to do with egg yolks.
This recipe looks like the perfect solution!
It looks so good! A divine dessert. I really love your pretty plate.
Cheers,
Rosa
Just stepped by to say hi and I absolutely love your divine-looking photos!
Oh wow this looks so tasty, I haven’t ever really had any caramel desserts like this before, I would love to try it!
Wow. 36 egg yolks! No wonder you scaled it down. They look lovely though. Very tasty little pigs.
Oh wow – that looks incredible! 36 egg yolks – holy dinah! Don’t see that very often! Looks worth it tho
Oh dear me…36 egg yolks….!! This is, I suppose, something that I would buy but not make myself…;). Well, about being diplomatic, I wish I could be a bit more like your Dad. I am usually too *polite*, which is not always very good I guess…
This looks wonderful – but I especially love that plate! It is beautiful!
LOL I love the answer about bludgeoning the boss! I used to be really blunt too, before I realised that in the work place that doesn’t get you things that you want/need, or friends, so I adapted to the environment and now I’m super smooth
Love the pudding, we often have egg yolks lying around, so thanks for posting!
This looks delicious, I love it when it’s ‘worth the calories’.
Speaking of blunt, a friend once told me ‘you look much nicer in real life’ upon seeing a photo of me! I’ll use her poor English as an excuse and when i interrogated her she actually thought it was a compliment ;p
This looks wonderful, and I wish I had seen it yesterday morning when I had 8 egg yolks in the fridge after making macaron on the weekend! Definitely understand the baker’s dilemma! Your styling and photographs are just so beautiful, and as always, a great read. And sadly, yes, I am diplomatic almost all of the time
I have bookmarked this to try. I am pretty sure Mr BBB would be my food slave if I made him this – it is his favourite!!
LOL – a fun post. I’d be very happy if someone made me this. Diplomacy – depends on the day and how much someone has already pushed their luck.
Mmmmm delicious. My kind of dessert!
Oh Lorraine, I needed a giggle this morning. Thank you for the lovely post!
And this pudding is dairy-free! Marvellous!
This custard looks so good! Custard is certainly one of the many things that I miss ever since I started on my egg-free, dairy free, gluten free diet. Your dad sounds a lot like my dad. I actually think that makes life a little more entertaining:)
I love creme caramel and this looks like a wonderful twist I have to try it out.
It is my nature to be blunt, but I try very hard to be tactful, and I think most of the time I manage.
Hahahaha love the thinking of ways to bludgeon you and make it look like an accident.
Your dessert looks scrumptious as always Lorraine well done
hi, Lorraine
Could you, please, post your ingredients in adjusted amounts after you re-calculated it for 4 yolks? I would love to make this but certainly can’t with that many eggs and so much sugar, it’s a huge amount.
thank you. ann
Too diplomatic… I grumble to myself but am always am polite to everyone – I think it comes with being a schoolteacher
Your Dad is hilarious. My friends and I always remark that as our parents have aged and gotten more frail, they have become much more blunt. I guess at that age there’s no time to waste to beat around the bush, hey? It has made for some memorable family gatherings.
Wow that looks devine Lorraine, am putting it in the ‘recipe’s’ bookmark section!
On a different topic – did you see you got a mention in the Sydney Telegraph yesterday, in the story on smores? I think it was in the liftout.
Cheers, Mel.
Yes I am diplomatic, I have a mother that can be very blunt, so over the years I too have had to smooth ruffled feathers and had to calm situations.
wow that looks great! reminds me heaps of Filipino Leche Flan.. that stuff is amazing!
36 egg yolks.. mind boggle..
I would gladly be called a piglet to get a taste of this! Beautiful styling Lorraine
What a delight to come on line on a Monday morning to find something SO very different again! Tocino de Cielo – how very romantic, even tho’ my cholesterol levels would scream no!
Diplomatic – I honestly try to and would like to be more so at all times! There are some moments tho’ with certain people, where the wretched desire to say ‘ who on earth do you think you are?’ comes into play. Am not happy with myself later!
And the Q arises – what exactly are the limits of diplomacy? For instance: you, Lorraine, love cakes and present some glorious ones on the blog. I have rarely partaken, tho’ I do consider myself an ardent foodie. Am I undiplomatic when I blog the truth – diplomatically, I hope?!
Well, it quite amazing for me to think of 36 eggs yolks, but more amazing too that there is no milk or cream, great, a creme for the lactose free!
Good to cut the doses down for a family, but I didn’t understand how much water you used for 4 eggs…the 250 for the caramel?
Looks good Lorraine
PS I often think about being brutally blunt with my boss, if only I could say that! hehe
Why is it called Heaven’s Little Pigs when it has lots of yolk? It ought to be called Heaven’s Little Chicks!
What a cute little name! Mm it sure does look so rich, haha I don’t think either of us would be so insulted if we called the other ‘Heaven’s Little Pig’ =D
Wow this looks decadent! I love it… I am a fan of all things custardy/creamy.
Far too many egg yolks. You can use whole eggs and a lot less I am sure.
36 yolks!! How many portions is that for? I think your version looks far more managable.
I think I’m quite diplomatic. I used to be a PA so it kind of goes with the territory!
I’m very much afraid that I may have had a tact and diplomacy bypass, like your dad. Even when I think that I am being very circumspect in my opinions, my family tells me I fail dismally.
Wow this looks amazing! I love the name
I’ve never seen a recipe with 36 egg yolks – that will also make a lot of meringues and macarons! I’m not the most diplomatic person as I often speak without thinking. Oh well…
I love caramel and this pudding looks so delicious. I love the name too, so cute and funny!
LOL @ ‘You see I’m busy reading gossip blogs and after that I’m going home to drink too much and think of ways to bludgeon you and make it look like an accident’…frightfully close to reality!
when you have a blunt email day can I please see your emails – sounds hilarious!
though you are welcome to your eggy pud – I usually avoid recipes that use just yolks or whites because I never know what to do with the other half of the egg
Love the name of this dessert, so cute! I once tried being blunt when I was frustrated beyond the call of diplomacy and to my surprise, the technique actually worked in my favour!
We are hunkering down with the best comfort food desserts… your fab piggy pudding would make anyone happy… love the way it sits so proudly on that plate… I did have to do a double take when I saw 36 egg yolks… whoa… that would make a whole lot of people happy. And, btw, my father was the same way… argh!!!
Mmmmm! That looks JUST like flan! It’s so purtyyyy….aww I like your post about bluntness.
But..it’s so sad too, and I totally relate b/c that’s how my dad is. I’m not sure if you grew up in a traditional Asian family, but I find that many Asian men (older ones) can be like that. ps: I’ve never seen a recipe with so many egg yolks haha
Can i request permission to cut and paste the suggested email – im thinking of keeping in my drafts for the boss
I often have to deal with very blunt clients and co-workers from overseas, and this would be the perfect pick me up if I had one of those exchanges!!
We’ve always referred to tocino del cielo as “those tiny bastards” – so small, so delicious, and so extremely devastating on your waistline. ;p
I love caramel pudding and the fact that the name includes “pig” makes me love it even more. I think of myself as a diplomatic person. Sometimes.
What a great use for egg yolks. I have a bit of a habit of saying what I think, but I am always happy when someone cooks for me.
You know what.. I love the name! heavenly little pig…. oink!
yummy~ love the setting of the picture! definitely a keeper to use leftover egg yolks
Beautiful photography Lorraine, the piggy looks so yummy, and I too love the plate you served it on.
Me..I’m as subtle as a sledgehammer most of the time and tend to veer more to brutally honest, mostly with close friends and family but. I figure it’s what they appreciate about me, perhaps not in the moment, but after digesting it for awhile! lol.
I tend to be diplomatic but I’m used to the blunt approach. My Mum has always been a mistress of it. ‘What have you done to your hair,’ she’ll say, when you’ve spent a small fortune on it and think it’s quite nice. “Have you put on weight?” (or lost it as the case may be. Neither putting on of weight or taking it off is permitted.
“Oh Bronwyn, can’t you afford a decent outfit?” Oh the stories I could tell …
Hmm, I’m a Finn, therefore I think I’m unfortunately not very diplomatic, more like a blunt and outspoken person like your dad! This dessert sounds delicious Lorraine
Love the name Heavens Little Pig!
I imagine the texture is just divine.
Oh yum that looks sweet, smooth and scrumptious. I try to be diplomatic but yes sometimes I can be rather blunt. I think life would be a lot easier sometimes if everyone was a little more to-the-point and honest.
Anything with the word “pig” it in always has my vote.
This looks great, it looks like it has a brilliant silky texture.
p.s. I always use my egg yolks to make kaya (coconut jam). Then I eat it from the jar with a spoon…
What a fantastic recipe and cute name! This is perfect for someone who is dairy free, they get all the yummy richness without compromising on flavour or texture. I’m definately going to add this to my restaurant desserts, thanks for bring it to my attention.
My mother is the one who enjoys being brutally honest, as long as no one does it to her!
36 egg yolks!! Oh my giddy aunt (haha I’ve always wanted to say that). So the day after it doesn’t taste too eggy? I’m intrigued!
Haha, oh Lorraine I’ve missed your hilarious words (have been crazy busy and just catching up on all your posts now). And yes, we all know that brutally blunt person.
I actually can’t think of a single time in my life when I’ve had 36 spare egg yolks to make this, but MY word it looks delicious!!
Briony xx
Sounds like a perfect dessert to share with loved ones. It is most definitely worthy of high praise!
I know how your poor mom feels!
I’ve recently developed a big love for puddings. And thanks for the tip on storing egg whites- I have 13 to use up and was getting a tad annoyed thinking of ways to use it up.
Heaven’s little pig, too cute to resist!
Very yummy piggy indeed! Must be so rich and creamy! I love all kinds of flans/creme brulees… Thanks for the tips: happy to know it comes out just as well without having to use 36 eggs! Great pictures, as usual.
My mum used to call me her ‘little piglet’… a title I have truly lived up to over the years
I’m so intrigued by this recipe, I will have to make it… I love that the eggs are unadulterated by milk or cream, just yolkey goodness.
yummy dessert! and loved the Office Space reference!
LOL at your dad. That kind of bluntness is either refreshing and funny to me or will set off my insecurities, depending on the situation. But it’s usually refreshing which I like. These puddings look so delish.
Ha ha , i kinda find it cute ,in a different way
this sure is a wonderful way to use all those egg yolks , i love creme caramel and this is one very wonderful creme caramel!
A wonderfully rich and delicious pudding, sounds like a terrific treat!
It looks wonderfully decadent, Lorraine! It reminds me a lot of flan, but the caramel topping looks much thicker and richer than it does with flan.
I can only imagine that it’s called “Heaven’s Little Pig” because of the gluttonous noises you make while eating it!
Hey, count me in for blunt email day! Sounds like a lot of fun!
I would love to dig in to one of those lovelies right now..
YUM!
I have found that it is impossible to please everyone,but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.
sugared egg yolks? yeah…that’s definitely something to be avoided! i love the name for this tasty treat.
haha, your father sounds hilarious. Your poor mum at dinner times though! I am terribly diplomatic. This looks wonderful! Funny name, but oh so pretty.
Heidi xo
lol, your parents are hilarious. I love that plate too. Looks like a wobbly version of a caramel ice cream, delicious!
My father’s very similar to your dad. I blame the bluntness on his age lol
wow recipe looks fantastic and delicious!
Mr NQN must have been pretty nervous meeting your dad given his bluntness…cute name for a dessert!
Heavens Little Pig.., gosh, I don’t think I’ve seen this before but it sure sounds wonderful. I think I’m probably one of the boring diplomatic types, but inside my head there is this little voice…. it has it say trust me!!!
This smooth dessert looks so good, especially with the caramel sauce:) Actually, I am pretty diplomatic.
This looks absolutely rich and perfect! What a gorgeous dessert
HA HA HA I love this post! You are too funny! And yes, sometimes I try and put words like that into husband’s mouth and push him to be brutally honest at work like that “actually I could bludgeon you right now!” LOL! And as a macaron make with loads of yolks always on hand (no, never 36 though) this is a fab dessert. As well as yummy. But can I just divide everything by 9?
Well, I’m afraid I could never make this recipe as my husband just hates the ‘eggy’ smell. I’ll have to try heavens little pigs if I see it on a menu when I’m out sometime.
I’m quite diplomatic and he’s the total opposite, leaving behind a trail of destruction and wondering why everyone has a horrified look on their faces lol.
On an altogether different note, my daughter made your Peanut Butter Cheesecake recipe the other night . Even though it’s quite nice and extremely rich, it perhaps is way too much peanut butter. I would halve the quantity of PB, to make it more subtle. I wonder if any of your readers tried making it and their thoughts?
I love anything custardy and I always have egg yolks to do something with. They tend to go from the fridge to the trash, but maybe this little piggy will eat some caramel pudding instead.
That looks delicious. Is it any different from creme caramel?
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