Ingredients

makes 3 cup

　　2 cups whole milk

　　6 large egg yolks

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　Pinch of fine sea salt

　　1 tablespoon bourbon

　　

Step 1

Make an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and water.

　　

Step 2

In a saucepan, bring the milk almost to a boil over medium heat. In a second saucepan, blend together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt with a wooden spoon until thick and light (be careful not to make the mixture foamy). Mix in half the hot milk, then transfer the mixture to the other saucepan with the remaining milk and blend. Add the bourbon.

　　

Step 3

Decrease the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring the custard until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and the mixture reaches 180°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat.

　　

Step 4

Set a sieve over a large, clean bowl and pass the custard through the sieve.

　　

Step 5

Place the bowl in the ice bath, and stir the custard until it has completely cooled. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Store the custard in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.