Bon Appetit Desserts (97 page)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon loose-leaf English Breakfast tea or jasmine tea

1 cinnamon stick

8 whole cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

3 ¼-inch-thick rounds peeled fresh ginger

4 large egg yolks

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¼ teaspoon finely grated orange peel

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons sugar

CUSTARD
: Combine cream, milk, tea, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger in medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place six ¾-cup custard cups or ramekins in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan. Pour cream mixture through fine strainer into medium bowl. Discard solids in strainer

Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and orange peel in 4-cup measuring cup to blend well. Gradually whisk in cream mixture. Pour custard mixture into custard cups, dividing equally (cups will not be full). Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Cover pan with foil. Pierce foil in several places with skewer to allow steam to escape.

Bake custards until softly set (center will move slightly when cups are shaken gently), about 30 minutes. Remove custards from water. Cool slightly on rack. Chill uncovered until cold.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

TOPPING
: Beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop each pot de crème and serve.

Honey-Cardamom Custards with Strawberry-Orange Compote

Simple baked custards get a honeyed sweetness and a spicy cardamom boost. They’re served straight out of the ramekins, topped with spiced sliced strawberries and orange segments. To amp up the flavor, use whole cardamom seeds, straight from the pod and freshly ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Makes 4

2 cups whole milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 2×1-inch orange peel strips [orange part only)

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup honey

4 large egg yolks

1 large egg

Strawberry-Orange Compote (see recipe)

Combine milk, cream, vanilla bean, orange peel strips, cardamom, and salt in heavy small saucepan. Cook milk mixture over medium heat until tiny bubbles appear around edge of saucepan. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove softened vanilla bean from milk mixture. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into milk mixture; add bean. Heat milk mixture again until tiny bubbles appear around edge of saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat, add honey, and stir until honey melts. Using fork, beat egg yolks and egg in medium bowl just until blended. Gradually mix hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Strain custard into large measuring cup with spout.

Pour custard into four 1¼-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Place dishes in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover pan loosely with foil. Bake custards until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer dishes to rack and cool. Cover custards and refrigerate until cold.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Place custards in dishes on plates. Top each custard with Strawberry-Orange Compote and serve.

Strawberry-Orange Compote

Compotes are usually cooked—the fruit is stewed until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Here, the strawberries and orange segments are simply combined with honey and the juice from the oranges and spiced with a little cardamom. In classic French cooking, to
suprême
a citrus fruit is to segment it, removing the pith, peel, seeds, and membranes (see page 35 for more information on how to do this). The resulting slices are known as
supremes.
If you don’t have the time (or perhaps the patience) for such a task, you can also cut off the peel and pith, slice the orange crosswise into rounds, and cut the rounds into pieces.
4 servings

1 1-pint container strawberries, hulled, sliced

2 oranges, peel and white pith removed

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Place strawberries in medium bowl. Using small sharp knife, hold oranges over same bowl and cut between membranes to release segments, allowing juice and segments to fall into bowl. Squeeze orange membranes over same bowl to release any juice. Mix in honey and cardamom.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

The Perfect Flan

This extraordinary flan starts with a few humble ingredients: eggs, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla. But with the right techniques, the results are incredible: a silky-smooth vanilla custard coated with sweet homemade caramel. Note that the flans need to chill overnight before serving.
Makes 6

1¾ cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

Pinch of salt

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 cup plus 7 tablespoons sugar

⅓ cup water

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine cream, milk, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup sugar and ⅓ cup water in another heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into six ¾-cup ramekins or custard cups. Using oven mitts as aid, immediately tilt each ramekin to coat sides. Place ramekins in 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan.

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl just until blended. Gradually and gently whisk cream mixture into egg mixture without creating lots of foam. Pour custard through small sieve into prepared ramekins, dividing equally (mixture will fill ramekins). Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake flans until center is gently set, about 40 minutes. Transfer flans to rack and cool. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill overnight.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Run small sharp knife around sides of 1 flan. Place plate atop ramekin. Invert flan onto plate. Shake gently to release flan. Carefully lift off ramekin, allowing caramel to run over flan. Repeat with remaining flans and serve.

Vanilla-Lime Flans

Bright lime flavors pair beautifully with vanilla in this creamy dessert. You’ll want to start these one day ahead: They need to chill overnight.
Makes 8

1⅓ cups plus ½ cup sugar

½ cup water

4 teaspoons finely grated lime peel

3 large eggs

5 large egg yolks

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1½ cups whole milk

2½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

Lime slices

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place eight ⅔-cup ramekins or custard cups on work surface. Stir 1⅓ cups sugar and ½ cup water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into ramekins, dividing equally. Using oven mitts as aid, pick up each ramekin and tilt and rotate to coat sides with caramel. Place ramekins in large roasting pan.

Using back of spoon, mash remaining ½ cup sugar and lime peel in large bowl until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add eggs and egg yolks; whisk to blend. Bring cream and milk to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk cream mixture into egg mixture. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Ladle custard into caramel-lined ramekins. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake flans until just set and beginning to color on top, about 45 minutes. Remove from water; let cool 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Run small sharp knife around sides of 1 flan. Place plate atop ramekin. Invert flan onto plate, allowing caramel to run over flan. Remove ramekin. Repeat with remaining flans. Garnish with lime slices.

Mocha Crème Caramel