Crema catalana

Preparation:
Bring the milk to the boil with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
Beat the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl.
Dissolve the cornflour in the milk and add the egg mixture.
Cook slowly over a low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the mixture comes to the boil. Remove from the heat immediately.
Pour into bowls or individual earthenware dishes and refrigerate.
Before serving, sprinkle with sugar and place under a hot grill until caramelised (in Catalonia they use a red-hot branding iron).

Variations:
You can use wheat flour or any other kind of starch, and add it to the egg yolk mixture.
The crema catalana can be eaten without the sugar crust. If this is the case, place a piece of brown paper over the top to prevent a skin forming.
The crema can be eaten with biscuits or carquinyolis (a type of Catalan biscotti).