Truffle Custard With Cabernet Sauce Food

WILD MUSHROOM CUSTARD WITH ASPARAGUS-TRUFFLE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a hot saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil and saute garlic. Add mushrooms and mix carefully. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with wine and reduce until nearly dry. Check for seasoning and lay mushrooms on a tray to cool completely. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and cream. Mix in cooled mushrooms and scallions. Spray 4 large ramekins with cooking spray and fill 4/5. Place in hot bain marie (boiling water up half way) and bake in oven at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until set.
• In a 1 quart casserole, add 1 tablespoon butter and sweat onions and garlic until soft. Add water and season well. Add the asparagus and cook for only 3 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the spinach and take the casserole off of the heat. (It is imperative that this water tastes salty so that when the asparagus and spinach are added, they maintain their green color.) Immediately buzz the sauce with a hand blender and add the butter. Check for seasoning. Add the truffle oil and keep warm in a water bath.
• PLATING
• In a large pasta bowl, ladle in the asparagus sauce. Place one custard in the middle and garnish with asparagus spears, truffle oil and fresh truffle slices.

CLASSIC TRIFLE WITH BERRIES OR CITRUS

Steps:

• Make the custard: In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan, heat cream, milk and any of the optional flavorings over medium heat until simmering.
• Slowly whisk 1/2 cup hot cream mixture into yolk mixture until well mixed. Whisking egg mixture constantly, slowly pour in remaining cream. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium-low heat.
• Cook custard, stirring continuously especially around the bottom and edges of the pot, until the custard has thickened enough to mound on the spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Don't let it come to a boil, but a few simmering bubbles is fine. If it starts to curdle at any point, remove pot from the heat and whisk it intensely. It should smooth out.
• Once the custard is thick, scrape it into bowl, whisk in vanilla, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto its surface. Let the custard cool for at least 30 minutes. At this point, custard can be chilled for up to 3 days, or used to assemble the trifle. Pluck out cinnamon stick or cardamom pods, if using, just before assembling trifle.
• Prepare the fruit: If using berries, put them in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar to taste, and use a fork to mash them. If using oranges, supreme them: Cut the tops and bottoms off each one, squeezing the juice from the severed pieces into a bowl. Using a paring knife, cut the peel and all the white pith off the fruit. Working over the bowl to catch the juices, slice the segments away from the membrane, letting fruit fall into the bowl. It's OK if the segments fall apart; you're going to break them up anyway. When all the segments are cut out of the membranes, squeeze the membranes over the bowl to release as much of the juice as possible. Sprinkle oranges with sugar, to taste, and, using your hands, break the segments up into pieces. You want a pulpy, juicy mix in the bowl. There should be a lot of liquid. Let oranges or the berries macerate for 20 minutes.
• To assemble the trifle, spread the ladyfingers on one side with a thick layer of jam or marmalade. Put the ladyfingers, jam-side down, in the bottom of a medium (6- to 8-cup) trifle dish or any other serving bowl or dish (or use individual dishes, cups or glasses). You want to cover the bottom completely and, if you are using a bowl, go a little bit up the sides; break up the ladyfingers if needed to make them fit.
• Sprinkle sherry (or whatever liquid you are using) over the ladyfingers, making sure they are well moistened. Be generous: You don't want any dry bits.
• Spoon fruit and all their juices over ladyfingers. Top with custard. If you like a higher cake-to-custard ratio, you can break up a few more ladyfingers and scatter them on top of the custard, then drizzle with more sherry. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
• When ready to serve, using an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until fluffy; it should hold a light peak. Spoon whipped cream on top of trifle and garnish as you like. Serve immediately. (Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days.)

WHITE TRUFFLE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. In a medium sauce pan over low heat, bring the cream and milk to a simmer. Place the eggs and truffle oil in a blender and, with the motor running, slowly drizzle the warm cream mixture into the eggs and oil in blender. Season with salt and pepper. Skim off foam.
• Butter 6 2-ounce ceramic ramekins or custard dishes. Place them in a large baking dish, and pour in hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully pour the custard mixture into the ramekins, filling to 1/4 inch from the top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until just set.

TRUFFLE CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine heavy cream and truffle oil in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir in Parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has a creamy consistency without conglomerates of cheese, about 5 minutes.

ENGLISH TRIFLE TO DIE FOR

Steps:

• Spread a little jam on each piece of cake and place in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Sprinkle raspberries over cake.
• Heat 10 fl. oz. cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. While the cream is heating, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow and smooth. Strain yolk mixture into a clean bowl. Pour hot cream into egg yolks and stir vigorously. Return mixture to pan over low heat and cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• While custard is cooling, whip 10 fl oz. cream until soft peaks form. Place almonds on a baking sheet and toast, in a 300 degree oven or toaster oven, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 to 10 minutes.
• Spread cooled custard over cake in bowl. Top with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Chill 2 hours before serving.

TRUFFLE CUSTARD WITH CABERNET SAUCE

Steps:

• Position oven rack in the middle of oven; preheat oven to 325°; lightly butter the ramekins.
• In a small saucepan, heat the milk just until steam begins to rise.
• In a big bowl, beat the egg and egg yolks lightly with a fork; add in salt and white truffle oil.
• Slowly stir in hot milk until blended.
• Place the prepared ramekins in a baking pan lined with a dish towel.
• Ladle the egg mixture into the ramekins.
• Set the pan on the oven rack; carefully pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake for 10-15 minute, or until set and a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and immediately remove the ramekins from the water bath with a dish towel.
• While the custards are baking, reduce the beef stock until it is syrupy, about 6 minutes; add in the wine; stir to combine.
• To serve: place the warm custards on individual plates; top each one with truffle shavings and drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of warm wine sauce; serve immediately.