Yema Recipe (With a Spooky Halloween Twist)
Ingredients
For Classic Yema
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- Granulated sugar for rolling, optional
For Halloween Yema Eyeballs
- M&M’s assorted colors
- Black edible marker optional
For Caramel-Covered Eyeballs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a nonstick pan over low heat. Add the condensed milk and stir until well combined.
- Turn off the heat and add the egg yolks. Whisk until completely incorporated. Return the pan to low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes very thick and starts pulling away from the sides and bottom of the pan. It should hold its shape when pushed together with a spatula.
- Transfer the yema to a plate or bowl and let it cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
- For classic yema, shape the mixture into small balls or pyramids. Leave them plain or roll them in granulated sugar. They’re ready to serve at this point.
- For the Halloween eyeballs, roll the mixture into eyeball-sized balls.
- Use a black edible marker to draw a small pupil in the center of each M&M. Gently press one M&M into the center of each yema ball. They’re also ready to serve at this point.
- To make caramel-covered yema: Arrange the yema eyeballs on a parchment-lined plate. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until very firm. Important: Do not skip this step. The yema needs to be very cold before it goes into the hot caramel or it can soften and melt.)
- Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Place over low to medium-low heat. Once the mixture starts to boil, stop stirring and let it cook undisturbed.
- Continue cooking until the syrup turns golden and then a light amber color, about 12-18 minutes. If the caramel is coloring unevenly, gently swirl the pan instead of stirring. Important: Keep a close eye on it once it starts changing color. Caramel can go from amber to burnt very quickly. Have a container of cold water ready. If you notice the caramel getting too dark, carefully dip the bottom of the saucepan into the cold water for a few seconds to stop it from cooking further.
- Insert a toothpick into a frozen yema eyeball. Quickly dip it into the hot caramel, turning it just enough to coat the outside. Important: Be very careful when working with the caramel, as it’s extremely hot.
- Lift it out immediately and let the excess caramel drip back into the pan. Work quickly so the hot caramel doesn’t melt the yema. Place the dipped yema eyeball on a parchment-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining eyeballs.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is an estimate and assumes all of the caramel is consumed. Actual values will vary depending on how much caramel is used to coat each yema eyeball.