Some recipes stay with you for years. Latte brûlé is one of mine: a traditional dessert I kept hoping to find on the menus of old-fashioned restaurants in Romagna, only to be told, time and again, that it wasn't available.
Eventually, I decided to make it at home, following a recipe from a little cookbook in my collection called I magnè rumagnùl d'una volta. The recipe appears in the second of two volumes dedicated to traditional Romagnol cooking.
Latte brûlé is a humble dessert made with just a few ingredients: whole milk, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. There is no cream and no egg white, yet the result is rich, delicate and wonderfully comforting.
It may remind you of crème caramel or panna cotta, but it has its own character and a special place in Romagna's culinary tradition. Like many traditional country recipes, it turns simple, relatively inexpensive ingredients into a dessert elegant enough for a festive table.
A traditional dessert worth rediscovering
The secret to latte brûlé lies in reducing the milk before combining it with the egg yolks and sugar. This concentrates the flavour and gives the pudding its distinctive richness.
The original recipe suggested cooking it in a bain-marie on the stovetop. When I tried that method, however, the pudding simply wouldn't set, even after hours of cooking. I eventually transferred it to the oven, still using a bain-marie, and found this a much more practical solution.
One important detail is the caramel. It should coat the inside of the mould without becoming too dark: burnt caramel has a bitter, acrid taste that can spoil the entire dessert.
Latte brûlé can be prepared a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator. In fact, resting overnight helps it become firmer and allows its flavour to develop.
It's the sort of dessert that appeals to both children and adults. For anyone who grew up with traditional Romagnol cooking, it may also bring back memories of family meals and celebrations.
If you're looking for something different from the usual Christmas desserts, this traditional milk pudding deserves a place on your table.
Latte Brûlé Recipe
Yield: 8 servings
Prep time: About 20 minutes, plus time to reduce the milk
Resting time: At least 4 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight
Cooking time: About 1 hour or longer, depending on the mould and oven, plus the time needed to reduce the milk
Ingredients
2 litres whole milk
180 g granulated sugar, divided
8 very fresh egg yolks
150 g granulated sugar, for the caramel
½ vanilla bean, seeds only
2 tablespoons water, for the caramel
Method
Pour the milk into a large saucepan. Add 100 g of the sugar and the vanilla seeds. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer until the milk has reduced by half. This step takes time, so allow the milk to reduce slowly and keep an eye on it.
Meanwhile, prepare the caramel. Put the remaining 150 g of sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let the sugar dissolve and gradually turn golden; there is no need to stir. Watch it carefully, as caramel can darken quickly.
Pour the hot caramel into your pudding mould, carefully tilting and rotating it to coat the bottom and sides. Take care, as the caramel is extremely hot.
Let the reduced milk cool until it is no longer hot. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 80 g of sugar until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.
Gradually add the cooled milk to the egg mixture, stirring to combine. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then pour into the caramel-coated mould.
Cover the mould with aluminium foil and place it inside a deep ovenproof dish. Pour hot water into the outer dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the mould.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 1 hour. Remove the foil and check the pudding. If it is not set, cover it again and continue baking, checking every 20 minutes. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and depth of your mould.
Allow the pudding to cool, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and firm. To serve, carefully loosen the edges and turn it out onto a serving plate so the caramel flows over the pudding.
Notes
Make it ahead: Latte brûlé is ideal for preparing the day before serving. Keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Watch the caramel: Aim for a golden amber colour rather than a very dark brown, which can taste bitter.
Be patient with the milk: Reducing the milk by half is an essential part of the recipe and may take a considerable amount of time.
Check the centre: The pudding should be set but may retain a slight wobble when gently moved. Avoid relying on a skewer alone, as a set custard can still leave a little moisture on it.
A taste of Romagna: This traditional dessert is a lovely way to discover a less familiar part of the region's home cooking.
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