TV DINNER: The Twilight Zone

That Swirly Thing from the Intro

makes 6 

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

4 egg yolks

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups whole milk

¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup black sesame paste

7 Broken Windows from the Intro (recipe follows)

Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, yolks and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium low until it starts to bubble, stirring often. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for an additional 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk, butter, and vanilla. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, then divide the mixture between 6, 6 ounce creme brulee dishes. Place plastic wrap directly on top and refrigerate overnight. To serve, fill a piping bag with black sesame paste and pipe that swirly thing from the intro directly on top of the custard. Place a window on the rim of each dish and tell guests to smash the window with the back of a knife or spoon before eating. 

The Window from the Intro

1 cup sugar

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silpat. Combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Continue heating until a deep, amber caramel forms. Immediately (and carefully!) spoon the caramel onto the sheet pan, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Use the back of the spoon to spread the caramel into thin rounds, just larger than the custard dishes. Repeat until you have one round for each dish. Once the caramel hardens, peel it off of the sheet pan and use within 8 hours. 

Hot tip: As the sugar cools, there will be a short window where you can stretch the discs with your hands. If you accidentally poured yours too small, try stretching them to the right size.