custard

Xanthic Crème Brûlée

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Test Kitchen Favorites: Xanthic Crème Brûlée! Whenever you’re feeling a little “French”, imagine yourself at the Palace of Versailles, where everything reeks of opulence and grandeur. The popular “burnt cream” custard dessert boasts of its crackly, caramelized coating in shades of deep golden brown. Take the back of a dessert spoon and snap it onto the surface, thereby causing the top layer to separate for a glimpse of the silky creamed filling beneath. Just for kicks, I invite my guests to torch their own dessert, catching a whiff of the slightly burnt sugar aroma up close and personal. Pay no attention to the fine trickle of drool leaking from the corner of their mouths. This is sheer entertainment at its finest. 

XANTHIC CRÈME BRÛLÉE 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

4 large egg yolks 

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 300°. Over medium-high heat, bring two cups of water to a boil. Set aside. This will be used for the water bath. In a saucepan over low heat, warm the heavy cream and vanilla paste. Allow the mixture to start to simmer, stirring gently. In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sea salt, and sugar. Whisk together until the yolks break down. Once the cream mixture is simmering, slowly pour a fourth of it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you work. This step tempers the eggs so they will not curdle. Add the remaining cream and whisk gently until thoroughly combined. Do not over mix to avoid air bubbles from forming. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Divide the custard equally between 4 (6-ounce) ramekins, filling almost to the top. Place the ramekins inside a baking tray. Carefully add the boiling water to the tray, avoiding the ramekins. The water should reach halfway up the height of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the tray to the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until the crème brûlées are set around the edges. The centers should still remain wobbly in the middle when gently shaken. Immediately transfer the ramekins to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The next day, sprinkle a thin layer of granulated sugar over the surface of each ramekin. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the sugar to a deep brown color. Add fresh fruit, if desired. Enjoy. 

Vanilla Laced French Toast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Chow Down: Vanilla Laced French Toast! Here’s a twist on ordinary French toast. If you prefer the outside to be crispy, don’t be ashamed to coat the bread with crushed cracker crumbs before dropping it into the buttered skillet. It not only seals in the flavor, but also produces a “to-die-for” custard filling. Forget soggy bread, go instead for a golden brown crunch drizzled in dark maple syrup and topped with the rich flavor of vanilla glazed pears. Have I got your attention?

VANILLA LACED FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup light cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed*

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons butter

6 slices Hawaiian sweet bread

Glazed Pear Topping, if desired**

Powdered sugar, sprinkling

Pecan halves, as garnish

Instructions:

Whisk eggs, light cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Set aside. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine crushed crackers, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a fork. Melt butter on low heat in an iron skillet. Do not burn. Increase heat to medium. Dip bread slices in egg mixture, coat both sides in cracker crumbs, and place in the skillet. Cook 3 minutes until brown. Turn. Cook 3 minutes longer. Remove to a platter. Repeat until all slices are used. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and fruit, if desired. Garnish with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and pecans.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning Ritz Crackers.

**Recipe for Cinnamon Glazed Pears can be found at this link.

https://snapshotsincursive.com/2015/12/28

Zabaglione Parfait

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Zabaglione Parfait! That’s Italian. In English it translates to a decadent light custard, bordering on mousse, whipped into a parfait of romance-in-a-glass. Add fruit, toasted coconut, and a smidgen of nutmeg for a dessert that will have everyone exclaiming, “That’s Amoré!”

ZABAGLIONE PARFAIT

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream, whipped 3-5 minutes

3 egg yolks, beaten

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon citrus peel, granulated

1 pinch nutmeg

2 drops almond extract

1/4 cup sweet vermouth, or almond liqueur

1/4 cup raspberry preserves

Fresh raspberries

French Vanilla Wafer Rolls

Toasted coconut

Instructions:

In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use. In the bottom of a double boiler, bring water to a simmer and reduce heat to low. In the top of the double boiler, place eggs and sugar. Add granulated lemon citrus peel, nutmeg, and almond extract. Pour in sweet vermouth or amaretto liqueur. Whisk the custard mixture to create a light, fluffy consistency. Do not allow the water to boil. Continue whisking for 10 minutes, until the custard triples in volume. It will turn pale and frothy. The custard will be slightly thickened when ready. Set aside for 15 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard, reserving a portion for a garnish. The texture will appear like mousse. Place a dollop of raspberry preserves into the bottom of each parfait glass. Next, divide the custard equally between the parfait glasses. Top with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle on toasted coconut. Finish with a dab of whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Dish up with a French vanilla wafer roll for nibbling.

Dining Outside the Home: Payne’s Restaurant in Gas City, Indiana 

Dining Outside the Home: Payne’s Restaurant in Gas City, Indiana! The fact that Payne’s Coffee and Custard is a mere stone’s throw from the childhood home of actor, James Dean, is more than coincidence. The owner, Stephen Payne, is a devoted fan of the iconic 1950s movie star. His British influence is apparent in the bistro’s specialties which include old-fashioned frozen custard (to die for), Indiana craft beers on tap, the best Fish ‘n Chips “this side of the pond”, and gooey Sticky Toffee Pudding. Ingredients are farm-to-table whenever possible. Make Payne’s Restaurant your next small town destination. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Z

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Zabaglione Parfait! That’s Italian. In English it translates to a decadent light custard, bordering on mousse, whipped into a parfait of romance-in-a-glass. Add fruit, toasted coconut, and a smidgen of nutmeg for a dessert that will have everyone exclaiming, “That’s Amoré!”
ZABAGLIONE PARFAIT 
Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream, whipped 3-5 minutes

3 egg yolks, beaten

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon citrus peel, granulated 

1 pinch nutmeg 

2 drops almond extract 

1/4 cup sweet vermouth, or almond liqueur 

1/4 cup raspberry preserves 

Fresh raspberries 

French Vanilla Wafer Rolls

Toasted coconut 
Instructions:

In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use. In the bottom of a double boiler, bring water to a simmer and reduce heat to low. In the top of the double boiler, place eggs and sugar. Add granulated lemon citrus peel, nutmeg, and almond extract. Pour in sweet vermouth or amaretto liqueur. Whisk the custard mixture to create a light, fluffy consistency. Do not allow the water to boil. Continue whisking for 10 minutes, until the custard triples in volume. It will turn pale and frothy. The custard will be slightly thickened when ready. Set aside for 15 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard, reserving a portion for a garnish. The texture will appear like mousse. Place a dollop of raspberry preserves into the bottom of each parfait glass. Next, divide the custard equally between the parfait glasses. Top with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle on toasted coconut. Finish with a dab of whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Dish up with a French vanilla wafer roll for nibbling.