Quindim

Ingredients

• 10 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 250g caster sugar
• 100g desiccated or freshly grated coconut
• 40g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 120ml coconut milk
• pinch of fine salt
• butter and caster sugar, for the moulds

Before you cook

• Separate the eggs carefully so no white clings to the yolks, as any white makes the custard foam.
• Brush ten small ramekins or a 10-hole muffin tin generously with butter.
• Dust the buttered moulds with caster sugar and tap out the excess.
• Heat the oven to 160°C and boil a kettle of water for the bath.

Steps

1. Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg together in a bowl just until they are combined, keeping the whisking gentle so you do not beat in air.
2. Pour the yolks through a fine sieve into a second bowl to catch the stringy chalazae.
3. Add the sugar and stir slowly until it dissolves.
4. Stir in the coconut milk, melted butter and salt.
5. Fold in the coconut and stir until it is evenly wetted.
6. Cover the bowl and leave the mixture to rest for 20 minutes so the coconut swells.
7. Stir the mixture once more and divide it between the prepared moulds, filling them to about three-quarters.
8. Stand the moulds in a deep roasting tin.
9. Pour boiling water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the sides of the moulds.
10. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the tops are set and deep gold and a skewer comes out clean.
11. Lift the moulds out of the water and leave them to cool completely, which takes about 1 hour.
12. Run a thin knife around each quindim and turn it out onto a plate so the smooth custard side faces up and the coconut layer sits underneath.