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Café au Lait

Source of Recipe

"The Prudhomme Family Cookbook" by Paul Prudhomme


Recipe Introduction

"Be sure to try this old-time Cajun version of café au lait. Then, if you'd like to make the real thing that is served in New Orleans, use your favorite dark-roast coffee (in New Orleans, the favorite is a blend of dark-roast coffee and chicory) and make it strong. South Louisiana coffee is so strong that people say the spoon will stand up in the cup. Then put sugar in each cup (you'll want to use more than you normally do), and heat some milk (you need the same amount of milk as you have coffee) to the boiling point. Finally — and this is crucial — pour from the coffee pot and the milk pan both at the same time into the cups. If you pour it correctly, the café au lait should have a foamy head. Then, sit back and enjoy New Orleans café au lait. One added touch that will make you feel you're in the heart of Louisiana: Serve the café au lait with beignets!"

List of Ingredients

2 cups milk, or 1 ½ cups evaporated milk mixed with ½ cup water
½ cup sugar


Recipe

Place the milk (or evaporated milk and water) in a 2-quart saucepan and set aside.

Heat an 8-inch cast iron or other small heavy skillet over high heat about 1 minute. Add the sugar and cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and turns to a rich bubbly brown. (Be careful not to overcook or it will burn.)

Carefully and quickly add the caramelized sugar to the milk (the milk will steam up and the sugar will crystallize.) Place over low heat and cook until the sugar dissolves into the milk and mixture is hot, about 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Makes two 8-ounce glasses