"Coffee & Cigar" Tres Leches Espresso Custard, Chocolate Ashes, Ganache Cigar

From: Chef Emanuel Karropoulos and proprietor Paul J. Gallowitsch V, Bistro 44, Northport, NY. Yield: 8 servings.

14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

14-oz. can evaporated milk

8 oz. milk

1 vanilla bean

1 shot espresso

9 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

4 oz. block semi-sweet chocolate

as needed for garnish, powdered sugar

Add the milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk and espresso to saucepan along with vanilla bean cut in half on medium heat. Stir often.

Add yolks to a bowl with sugar and mix well. Once milk is about 200°F, (just before it boils), remove from heat. While mixing the yolks, slowly temper milk into egg mixture. Strain through sieve. Fill ashtrays and place in water bath and bake at 300°F for 30-35 minutes. Cool.

Shave pieces of chocolate for ashes and melt the rest; pour into cigar mold and let set. Lay cigar across ashtray with ashes at the end.