Creme Caramel.....Jacques Pepin
Ingredients
Yield: 8-10 servings
Caramel Base
1 c. sugar
3 tbsps. water
2 - 3 tbsp. rum or other liquour
Custard
2 c. milk
1 cup half and half
2 vanilla beans
1/3 c. sugar
5 lg. eggs
1 egg yok
1 tsp vanilla extract
Lime Tuile Cookies
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lime rind
2 egg whites
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Garnish (optional)
Fresh flowers
Preparation
To make the caramel base:
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, and stir to moisten sugar. Boil over med-high heat until the mixture turns a deep caramel color (usually after 6 - 8 minutes). Pour1/4 cup of the caramel into the bottom of a 6 c. soufflé mold, and set aside. To make sauce add 3 - 4 tbsps of water to the caramel and when cool add 1 or tbsps of rum.
To make the custard:
Preheat oven to 350°. Bring milk, half and half and vanilla bean to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and cover to let the bean steep for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Stir with a whisk but don’t allow foam or bubbles to form.
Remove the vanilla beans from the hot milk and gradually pour the milk into the eggs, stirring with a whisk and not allowing bubbles or foam to form. Set a sieve over a second bowl and pour the custard through to remove any coagulated bits of egg.
Dry the vanilla beans and slit them in half; scrape up the tiny black seeds from the bean and stir them into the custard along with 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Pour the custard into the mold.
Set the mold in a larger pan, so the custard can be cooked in a water bath. Strain the custard into the mold. Add tepid water to the pan surrounding the mold to extend 3/4 of the way up the outside of the mold. Bake for 50 minutes. Should the water begin to boil, ladle some out, and replace with a few ice cubes.
Cool the custard for 5-6 hours or overnight, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate again until served.
To unmold the custard:
Run a knife around the edge of the custard to loosen it from the inside of the bowl. Place a platter, top side down, on top of the custard, invert the custard onto the platter, and remove the mold.
To make the cookies:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Break the butter into a food processor, and add the sugar. Process 10 seconds. Add the vanilla, lime rind, and egg whites, and process 5 seconds.
Add the flour, and process to incorporate. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl.
Spoon 2 tbsp. of batter onto the lined cookie sheet. Only put 3-4 cookies on each sheet as they will spread. Using the back of a teaspoon, spread the dough to 5-6" in diameter, with even thickness. Batter should be very thin. Sprinkle with almonds after spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. They should be browned. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute. Run a knife under the cookies to release them and place them in a baguette mold or over a rolling pin to give them a curved shape. Be gentle with the cookies and work quickly, as they will harden fast. Store in an airtight container so they don't soften.
To serve:
Decorate the custard with flowers. Serve a large spoonful of the custard with some of the sauce and a lime tuile cookie.
Recipe courtesy of Alfred A. Knopf, ©2001 Jacques Pépin
Ingredients
Yield: 8-10 servings
Caramel Base
1 c. sugar
3 tbsps. water
2 - 3 tbsp. rum or other liquour
Custard
2 c. milk
1 cup half and half
2 vanilla beans
1/3 c. sugar
5 lg. eggs
1 egg yok
1 tsp vanilla extract
Lime Tuile Cookies
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lime rind
2 egg whites
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sliced almonds
Garnish (optional)
Fresh flowers
Preparation
To make the caramel base:
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan, and stir to moisten sugar. Boil over med-high heat until the mixture turns a deep caramel color (usually after 6 - 8 minutes). Pour1/4 cup of the caramel into the bottom of a 6 c. soufflé mold, and set aside. To make sauce add 3 - 4 tbsps of water to the caramel and when cool add 1 or tbsps of rum.
To make the custard:
Preheat oven to 350°. Bring milk, half and half and vanilla bean to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and cover to let the bean steep for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Stir with a whisk but don’t allow foam or bubbles to form.
Remove the vanilla beans from the hot milk and gradually pour the milk into the eggs, stirring with a whisk and not allowing bubbles or foam to form. Set a sieve over a second bowl and pour the custard through to remove any coagulated bits of egg.
Dry the vanilla beans and slit them in half; scrape up the tiny black seeds from the bean and stir them into the custard along with 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Pour the custard into the mold.
Set the mold in a larger pan, so the custard can be cooked in a water bath. Strain the custard into the mold. Add tepid water to the pan surrounding the mold to extend 3/4 of the way up the outside of the mold. Bake for 50 minutes. Should the water begin to boil, ladle some out, and replace with a few ice cubes.
Cool the custard for 5-6 hours or overnight, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate again until served.
To unmold the custard:
Run a knife around the edge of the custard to loosen it from the inside of the bowl. Place a platter, top side down, on top of the custard, invert the custard onto the platter, and remove the mold.
To make the cookies:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Break the butter into a food processor, and add the sugar. Process 10 seconds. Add the vanilla, lime rind, and egg whites, and process 5 seconds.
Add the flour, and process to incorporate. Transfer dough to a mixing bowl.
Spoon 2 tbsp. of batter onto the lined cookie sheet. Only put 3-4 cookies on each sheet as they will spread. Using the back of a teaspoon, spread the dough to 5-6" in diameter, with even thickness. Batter should be very thin. Sprinkle with almonds after spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. They should be browned. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute. Run a knife under the cookies to release them and place them in a baguette mold or over a rolling pin to give them a curved shape. Be gentle with the cookies and work quickly, as they will harden fast. Store in an airtight container so they don't soften.
To serve:
Decorate the custard with flowers. Serve a large spoonful of the custard with some of the sauce and a lime tuile cookie.
Recipe courtesy of Alfred A. Knopf, ©2001 Jacques Pépin