• Take ½ cup of the milk and set aside. Pour the rest of the milk into a saucepan.
  4 cups whole milk
• Add the vanilla extract.
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Heat the milk over medium heat until it is just below boiling (small bubbles around the edge).
• Reduce the heat to low.
• In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ½ cup of milk with the cornstarch. Stir until smooth.
  ⅓ cup cornstarch
• Add the light-brown sugar, sea salt, and egg yolks.
  4 large egg yolks, ½ cup light brown sugar, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Whisk well until the mixture is light and creamy.
• Stir the lukewarm espresso and instant coffee into this mixture.
  2 teaspoons instant coffee powder, ⅔ cup espresso
• Slowly pour one ladle of the warm milk from the saucepan into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
• Pour the entire egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the warm milk.
• Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or whisk.
• Heat until the custard thickens into a smooth, creamy texture.
• Allow it to gently simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
• If you want (not necessary) Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a glass bowl or small serving glasses to remove any lumps.
• Cover the surface with plastic wrap (touching the custard) to prevent a skin from forming.
• Let it cool completely in the refrigerator.

Serve

• Just before serving, add a dollop of whipped cream on top.
  ½ cup whipped cream
• Decorate with chocolate espresso beans.
  chocolate espresso beans