Apricot And Almond Crepes With Creme Anglaise Food

CREME ANGLAISE FOR APRICOT PUDDING

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
• Put milk, cream, vanilla bean, and seeds into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Pour half of hot-milk mixture into reserved yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture back into pan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in ice-water bath; discard solids. Let stand; stirring occasionally, until cold, about 20 minutes.

FLOATING ISLAND WITH APRICOT CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees. Butter the inside of a 2-quart soufflé mold or baking dish, at least 3 and 1/2 inches deep, then use 2 tablespoons sugar to coat butter, knocking out excess over the sink.
• Using an electric mixer set on medium-slow speed, beat egg whites until they begin to froth. Add salt and cream of tartar, increase speed to fast, and continue to beat until whites hold soft peaks. Add remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time and beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Beat in vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in almond flour.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. It might overfill the dish; that's O.K. Do not press mixture down. Bake until meringue has risen at least 1/2 inch and is very lightly colored on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Prepare the crème Anglaise: In a medium, heavy saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and thick. Whisking constantly, dribble in about half of the hot milk. (Don't stop whisking or you risk curdling the eggs.) Pour yolk mixture into the pan with the rest of the milk and gently cook over low heat, stirring constantly and thoroughly, especially around the sides of the pan. When mixture starts to thicken enough to coat the spoon, about 5 minutes, add apricots and cook for 2 minutes longer, just enough to soften the fruit, while continuing to stir.
• Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor or blender, add vanilla and purée until just smooth. Don't overdo it: you don't want a mousse-like froth. Chill until serving, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Run a knife around the sides of the meringue to loosen it from the dish and unmold it onto a large platter or, even better, into a wide, shallow bowl. The sugar syrup that's formed will run down the sides of the meringue. Pour apricot crème Anglaise around the island, creating a pale orange sea. Serve garnished with sliced almond and apricots, if you like.

CREPES STUFFED WITH FRESH FRUIT, MAPLE SYRUP, AND CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Crepes: Combine eggs, milk, and sugar. Add the flour and whisk well. Refrigerate for one hour. Rub a skillet with butter. Add enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan. Swirl pan to coat evenly. Turn crepe and cook until lightly golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.
• Custard: Put the milk, cream, and vanilla bean into the saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Add the sugar to the yolks and whip well. Pour the hot milk onto the beaten yolks and cook until the mixture reaches 185 degrees F. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate the custard until ready to serve.
• Spread cut fresh fruit over each crepe and sprinkle with maple syrup. Fold the crepe. Cover the plate with some custard and put one or two pancakes on it. Garnish with fresh fruit.

BAKED APPLES WITH ALMOND BUTTER AND CREME ANGLAISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Begin by scoring very small thin lines around the sides of the apples using a zester, this is to prevent the apple from exploding while cooking. Remove the cores from 1 end, using a melon baller, making sure not to go completely through the apples.
• To make the mixture, combine the softened butter, sugar, almond powder, and the cinnamon, and mix until all ingredients are combined.
• Stuff the apples with the butter mixture, and cook for 40 minutes.
• While the apples are baking, combine the cream, vanilla, and 2 ounces sugar in a saucepot, and bring to a boil.
• In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, remaining 2 ounces sugar, and blend until smooth. Once the cream has come to a boil, temper egg yolks with approximately 1/2 of the cream, making sure to whisk constantly. Return the tempered yolks to the cream mixture. Cook the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain the sauce into a container, and then cool in the refrigerator or in an ice-water bath.
• To serve, plate each warm apple on a dessert plate, and add a drizzle of the cream sauce around and on top of each apple.