How to make traditional jericallas
Jericallas are a typical Mexican dessert, characteristic of the city of Guadalajara and the rest of the province of Jalisco.
Ingredients · Servings 4
- 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 1 liter of milk
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 8 eggs
Method · 1 h 15 min
- To begin, we will preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Next, we'll heat a non-stick saucepan to bring the milk to a boil. In this liquid, we'll also heat the cinnamon and vanilla extract.
- Next, we'll add the cup of sugar, stir everything together, and let the mixture come to a boil.
- Once the milk has started to boil, we will remove it from the heat and let it rest at room temperature, so that it cools down a little.
- While this is happening, pour the contents of the eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Then, add a few tablespoons of warm milk to this mixture. Continue whisking, incorporating the milk one tablespoon at a time. The idea is for the mixture to blend thoroughly, without the risk of the eggs cooking due to residual heat. About 7 or 8 tablespoons of milk should be enough.
- Once we have a uniform mixture, we will add it to the rest of the milk in the pot. We will do this by whisking vigorously until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Next, divide the mixture into individual molds. At this point, remove the cinnamon sticks.
- To put these molds in the oven, we will first prepare a large container with water, and then we will put our little jericallas swimming in a water bath.
- Then, the entire dish goes into the preheated oven. The cooking time may vary depending on the oven's power. Generally, it should take around 45 minutes, but the most important thing is to achieve our goal: that the jericallas set. If, after this time, they still need more cooking, then they will need to be left in the oven a little longer.
- Optionally, if you want to brown the surface of the jericallas, raise the oven rack to the highest possible level and let them cook there for about 10 more minutes, increasing the temperature to 200 degrees.
Let's just say that "jericallas," or "jericayas," are a cross between flan and crème brûlée. At the same time, they have a distinctly Mexican touch, and anyone who says otherwise will likely run into trouble with some locals. In fact, it's a way of preparing baked milk.
Jericallas are most commonly cooked in small individual aluminum containers or small earthenware casseroles. However, you can prepare this dessert in any type of individual container that can withstand oven cooking, such as small glass, ceramic, or even heat-resistant silicone baking dishes.
