Catalan Cream: Silky and Caramelized

Instructions:

1. Combine milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Heat over medium until it just reaches a simmer.
2. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and 100g sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and slightly thickened.
4. Whisk in the cornstarch until no lumps remain.
5. Slowly pour a small amount of the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
6. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
7. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (usually 5–8 minutes).
8. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into 6 shallow ramekins to remove the cinnamon stick and zest.
9. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
10. Just before serving, sprinkle a thin, even layer of superfine sugar over the surface.
11. Use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar until it bubbles and turns a deep mahogany brown.