Lemon Grass Pot De Creme With Berries Food

LEMON POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Begin boiling a large pot of water that will be used in your water bath. Place 6 4 oz. ramekins in a large roasting pan or baking dish with high sides.
• In a small saucepan, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10-15 minutes; set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar, and bring to just below boiling. Remove from the heat.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk a ladleful of the hot cream into the yolks to temper then slowly/ gradually whisk the yolk mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the cream. Cook (still off heat) stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes until its thick.
• Stir in the reserved lemon syrup and vanilla extract. Strain immediately through cheesecloth or a fine sieve then divide the mixture evenly between the ramekins. (I strain mine into a very large pouring measuring cup so I can pour directly after straining - you could also use a pitcher.)
• Pour enough prepared boiling water into the roasting pan around the ramekins so it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Lay a long sheet of foil over the ramekins (no need to crimp edges) and bake 30-45 minutes - until the custards are set about ¼ inch from the sides but the center still jiggles. The center of the custards should register 150° to 155°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove custards from oven and let them cool IN their water bath to room temperature. Remove from water bath, cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 8 hours, best if 24.
• Garnish with whipped cream and plenty of berries.

LEMON POT DE CREME

Steps:

• Place butter, sugar, lemon juice and 3 egg yolks in a double boiler; stir constantly with a stainless steel whisk or wooden spatula over medium heat until pudding turns very thick (if you drop some of the mixture onto the rest of the pudding in the pan it will form an unmoving ribbon on the surface); DON'T let mixture boil.
• Pour pudding into a bowl; stir in lemon zest and let it cool by placing the bottom of the bowl in cool water.
• Beat the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff and glossy; gently fold into pudding and fill 4 pot de creme pots; place plastic wrap on surface of pudding in each cup and refrigerate until chilled.
• For an optional garnish, pipe a small rosette of whipped cream in the center of each pot and encircle the rosette with chopped pistachio nuts.

LEMON POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar together.
• When the mixture is thoroughly blended, whisk in the lemon juice, then the cream.
• Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Add the lemon zest.
• Pour the mixture into 8 6-oz. custard cups or ramekins.
• Place them in a baking pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups.
• Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake until the custard is just set, 40 to 45 minutes. The custard should still be soft in the center when lightly shaken. (It will continue to set as it cools.).
• Remove from the baking pan and cool.

LEMON GRASS POT DE CREME WITH BERRIES

Steps:

• Cut bottom 4 inches and root from the lemon grass stalks, reserving tops for a different use, if desired. Use the back of a knife to smash the lower portion of the lemon grass to release juices, then coarsely chop.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Combine cream, milk and lemon grass in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes in infuse the lemon grass flavour in the milk.
• Strain out lemon grass. Return milk mixture to pot and bring to a boil once again. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Allow to cool slightly.
• Place eggs yolks in a bowl. Whisk in sugar until blended well with the egg yolks. Then whisk in warm milk mixture. Strain once again into a large measuring cup.
• Place 6 ramekins or oven proof espresson cups in a roasting pan. Pour custard into ramekins, three quarters full. Pour hot water into roasting pan, halfway up the side of the ramekins.
• Place a sheet of parchement paper over ramekins. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until custards are set.
• Remove ramekins from water and cool.
• Serve topped with berries.

SUMMER BERRIES WITH LEMON CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Place creme fraiche in a medium-size non-reactive bowl. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and whisk well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, 1 hour or longer. (Lemon Creme Fraiche can be prepared 2 days ahead; keep covered and refrigerated.).
• Rinse berries and gently pat dry. If using strawberries, rinse first then hull and halve (or quarter, if large) lengthwise. Place berries in a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
• Divide berries among four wide-mouthed wine glasses, martini glasses or dessert bowls. Drizzle each serving with about 1/4 cup of Lemon Creme.

LEMON MERINGUE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Heat half-and-half to just under a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or a double boiler. In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk well until creamy, a minute or two.
• Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of hot half-and-half into egg-sugar mixture, then add remaining half-and-half and mix well. Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until custard is thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Spoon custard into 6 4-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to several hours. (May be done even a day ahead.)
• Combine chopped pistachios with 1 tablespoon sugar. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put egg whites in mixing bowl and add 3 remaining tablespoons sugar. Beat whites to stiff peaks. Spoon a pile of meringue onto each custard-filled ramekin, using all the meringue. Sprinkle with pistachio-sugar mixture. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are browned. (May be baked just before guests arrive, then kept at room temperature until time for dessert.)

POT DE CREME

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the egg, sugar and salt. Whisk in cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches 160 and coats the back of a metal spoon.
• Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate chips and vanilla until smooth. Pour into small dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.