Heat the milk and heavy cream over medium-low heat with the cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, mandarin juice, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir occasionally until you see steam.

In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, the remaining sugar, and cornstarch. Mix well until fully combined.

Before the milk mixture starts to boil, remove it from the heat and prepare the dishes where you’ll serve the custard.

Place a strainer over the bowl with the yolks and slowly pour in the milk mixture, stirring constantly.

Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and heat over low, stirring gently until it thickens to your desired consistency, then portion into serving dishes.