Jericalla ice cream

Years ago I was given the recipe for jericalla, a flan/creme brûlée like dessert originating in Jalisco, Mexico and it was one of the most delicious custard desserts I had - and have - ever eaten. What makes jericalla stand out is the caramelised-blackened milk skin on top of the silky custard scented with vanilla and cinnamon.

I have been trying to translate the flavour of jericalla into an ice cream, but never quite getting it right. Just infusing cinnamon and vanilla in a classic ice cream base just lacked the flavour of the caramelised milk skin.

Breaking down the recipe, jericalla is very close to a classic custard base that has just been baked in the oven. In the end that was the way to go… I made the jericalla, baked until juuust set in the middle, then blended it to liquify the custard again.

It worked like a charm! In the end, I had to change the ratios a little - adding more fat and sugar than I would like in a classic jericalla - to get a rich, smooth texture in the ice cream.

In all lack of humility, I am so happy with this ice cream. The flavour is undeniably jericalla - sweetly spiced baked custard with a hint of bitterness and deep caramel notes from the burnt milk skin.