Source: HowToCook (a programmer's guide)
Heat the milk with cornstarch and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring constantly. The cornstarch gelatinises as the temperature climbs — around 65°C the mixture turns translucent and begins to thicken. Keep stirring. At 80–85°C it'll shift from pourable to paste-like, coating the back of a spoon without running. This is thickening at work: starch granules absorb water and swell, trapping the liquid. Stop when it moves as a single mass, not a flow. Pour immediately into an oiled rectangular mould — a loaf tin works — and smooth the surface. The residual heat will continue to set the custard.
Refrigerate for at least one hour until completely firm and cold. The milk-based custard needs this rest to set properly; warm custard strips will collapse in the oil. Once set, turn it out onto a board and cut into batons roughly 8 cm long and 3 cm wide. Uniformity matters here — thin pieces will burn before the centre warms; thick ones will be raw inside.
Establish a three-stage breadcrumb-coating: first bowl gets the dry breadcrumbs, second gets beaten egg, third gets the remaining breadcrumbs. This double coating creates the crucial textural contrast — an egg-sealed first layer followed by a crumb crust that fries to shatter. Coat each baton in breadcrumbs, tap off excess, dip into egg, then roll in the final breadcrumbs. Press gently so the coating adheres. Lay them on a tray for five minutes — the egg sets slightly and the second coat grips better.
Heat oil to 170°C in a wide, heavy pot. Use a thermometer. Too cool and the coating absorbs oil instead of crisping; too hot and it colours before the custard warms through. Work in small batches — crowding the pot drops temperature and you'll steam instead of fry. Slide the batons in and let them colour golden over sixty to ninety seconds per side. The exterior will crackle when you bite it; the inside stays creamy and warm. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately whilst the contrast between crisp shell and molten centre is still there.
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