Leche Asada

Leche asada is one of Peru's oldest colonial-era sweets, a close cousin of crème caramel but denser and more rustic — baked directly in a dish rather than individual moulds, with a lightly blistered top that gives it its name, meaning "roasted milk". Lima's pastry shops often serve it chilled, and modern cooks have adapted it into semifreddo-style frozen bars that bridge tradition and contemporary Peruvian dessert culture.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Caramel:
• 120g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) caster sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) water
• Custard:
• 600ml (2½ cups) whole milk
• 200ml (¾ cup) sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F / Gas 3). Have a 22cm (9 in) round baking dish or equivalent ready.
2. Make the caramel: combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl (do not stir) until the sugar dissolves, then cook undisturbed until the caramel turns a deep amber, about 8–10 minutes. Immediately pour into the base of the baking dish and tilt to coat the bottom. Work quickly — it sets fast.
3. Warm the whole milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat.
4. Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly.
5. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into the prepared dish over the caramel.
6. Place the dish in a deep roasting tin. Pour boiling water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
7. Bake for 45–55 minutes until the custard is just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Remove, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
8. For frozen version: after cooling to room temperature, cover with cling film and freeze for 6 hours or until firm. Slice into bars and serve directly from the freezer.
9. To serve chilled: run a knife around the edge, invert onto a platter, and allow the caramel to pool around the custard.

Cook's Notes: The condensed milk adds sweetness and a slight richness that distinguishes leche asada from Spanish flan. For the modern-fusion frozen version, a drizzle of lucuma purée (freeze-dried lucuma mixed with a little cream) over the frozen bars makes a beautifully Peruvian presentation.