After going crazy last week with the meringues and custard experimentation, I ended up with 5 bright yellow, free range, happy chicken, egg yolks in the fridge. I also had some heavy cream left over from the custard. Not wanting to waste the pretty (and expensive) egg yolks, I ponder for awhile what to do with them. Crème brûlée fit the bill exactly.
Well almost. The recipe called for 6 egg yolks. I really did not want to break another egg because then I'd have one left over white. And, I don't know about you, but I think egg white omelets are gross. I decided to live on the edge and attempt it with the 5 yolks and 2 cups of cream instead of 2 1/2 cups.
Crème brûlée is a perfect recipe: uncomplicated yet totally sophisticated. The earliest known printed recipe for it is in a French cookbook from 1691 by Francois Massialot, chef to the Duc d'Orleans who was the brother of the Sun King.
I used a recipe from Mark Bittmann. Something went slightly wrong in my execution because the cream and egg yolks didn't set up as firm as they were supposed to. I wonder if this had something to do with me only using 5 yolks. I would have bet on that, except I noticed that I had different results depending on which ramekins I used. My old Fire King ramekins didn't do as well as the newer ceramic ones.
My other issue was when I put the ramekins under the broiler to "burn" the sugar. I recall that the crème brûlées I've eaten in restaurants were a nice combination of cold, creamy custard and warm, browned, hardened sugar. It's a nice contrast of flavors, temperatures and textures. Well, putting the ramekins under the broiler to brown the sugar made the entire dish hot. Next time I will definitely use the kitchen blow torch that my brother and his wife gave me years ago. The little blow torch is the key to browning the top without heating the entire dessert.
I wounldn't have called this attempt in the kitchen a success except my friends did eat every last morsel and nearly licked the ramekins clean. What's not to love about vanilla flavored, sweetened cream enriched with egg yolk?
I plan to try this recipe again. If I get it right, I'll post the recipe.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Separating eggs
Separating eggs gives me fits. Invariably I get hasty and accidentally end up w/ yolk in my whites. That spells R U I N. Egg whites will not form peaks if even of trace of yolk or shell remains.
Here is how to do it with minimal risk. First wash your hands and put next to you a damp cloth or paper towels for your hands.
Set out three bowls: 1 to hold the whites, 1 to hold the yolks, and a smaller one into which you will separate the whites . Crack egg gently. Then open the egg into one of your hands. Gently spread apart your fingers and let the egg white spill into the small bowl. Once most of the white is in the bowl, put the yolk in the larger bowl reserved for yolks. Scrutinize the egg white for shells or drops of yolk. When satisfied that your egg white is perfect, pour it into the larger bowl reserved for egg whites. Do this to each egg. Now the beauty of this method is that you can screw up one egg white without ruining the previous 5 you've separated successfully.
If you want, use an egg separator. I find those slow. You can also separate the egg by juggling the yolk back and forth between the halves while the white drips down. I can't do this. Shells are sharp and easily break the yolk. Fingers generally do not have sharp edges, and while it is a mess, it works.
Here is how to do it with minimal risk. First wash your hands and put next to you a damp cloth or paper towels for your hands.
Set out three bowls: 1 to hold the whites, 1 to hold the yolks, and a smaller one into which you will separate the whites . Crack egg gently. Then open the egg into one of your hands. Gently spread apart your fingers and let the egg white spill into the small bowl. Once most of the white is in the bowl, put the yolk in the larger bowl reserved for yolks. Scrutinize the egg white for shells or drops of yolk. When satisfied that your egg white is perfect, pour it into the larger bowl reserved for egg whites. Do this to each egg. Now the beauty of this method is that you can screw up one egg white without ruining the previous 5 you've separated successfully.
If you want, use an egg separator. I find those slow. You can also separate the egg by juggling the yolk back and forth between the halves while the white drips down. I can't do this. Shells are sharp and easily break the yolk. Fingers generally do not have sharp edges, and while it is a mess, it works.
Meringue: Îles flottants (floating islands)
After rescuing custard from the jaws of defeat, I used it to make a traditional French dessert called Îles flottants which comprises poached meringues floating in the chilled custard.
To make the dessert, first make the custard (see below) and chill. Then toast some sliced almonds for garnish. I am always forgetting garnishes but I did not forget the tasty toasted almonds. MMMM! Then take 6 egg whites (left over from separating the yolks for the custard) and beat until creamy in a standing mixer. Next add a cup of sugar. Beat in mixer until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Divide custard among 8 bowls. The recipe serves 8 easily.
Put 5 cups of whole milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Drop meringue by 3 tablespoonfuls into the milk. Poach for 30 seconds on each side. Remove to bowls putting 2 poached meringues in each bowl. Sprinkle almonds around the custard. Serve.
For extra fun, make some spun sugar by bringing to boil 1 c. sugar and 1 c. water, stirring ocassionally. While it is boiling, oil a large sheet of waxed paper with butter. Boil the sugar until it turns caramel. This happens magically all of a sudden when the sugar reaches the right temperature. The sugar is actually burning but don't worry about that. Take it off the heat stirring constantly. When you pull up the sugar w/ a spoon, a ribbon should form. Once that happens, dip a fork into the sugar and drizzle all over the waxed paper until you've used all the sugar. It will look like a caramel Jackson Pollock painting.
When Jackson Pollock cools, you'll be able to peel it from the waxed paper and break it into pieces. A nice piece of Jackson Pollock looks pretty with the floating custard.
This recipe is easy and inexpensive except for the vanilla bean and the cream in the custard. I wonder if it is possible to use whole milk only in the custard. I think it would work since the egg yolks are the thickening agent. And by all means, use vanilla extract. If you do buy a vanilla bean, don't forget to save the pod to put in a jar of sugar to flavor it.
To make the dessert, first make the custard (see below) and chill. Then toast some sliced almonds for garnish. I am always forgetting garnishes but I did not forget the tasty toasted almonds. MMMM! Then take 6 egg whites (left over from separating the yolks for the custard) and beat until creamy in a standing mixer. Next add a cup of sugar. Beat in mixer until stiff, shiny peaks form.
Divide custard among 8 bowls. The recipe serves 8 easily.
Put 5 cups of whole milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Drop meringue by 3 tablespoonfuls into the milk. Poach for 30 seconds on each side. Remove to bowls putting 2 poached meringues in each bowl. Sprinkle almonds around the custard. Serve.
For extra fun, make some spun sugar by bringing to boil 1 c. sugar and 1 c. water, stirring ocassionally. While it is boiling, oil a large sheet of waxed paper with butter. Boil the sugar until it turns caramel. This happens magically all of a sudden when the sugar reaches the right temperature. The sugar is actually burning but don't worry about that. Take it off the heat stirring constantly. When you pull up the sugar w/ a spoon, a ribbon should form. Once that happens, dip a fork into the sugar and drizzle all over the waxed paper until you've used all the sugar. It will look like a caramel Jackson Pollock painting.
When Jackson Pollock cools, you'll be able to peel it from the waxed paper and break it into pieces. A nice piece of Jackson Pollock looks pretty with the floating custard.
This recipe is easy and inexpensive except for the vanilla bean and the cream in the custard. I wonder if it is possible to use whole milk only in the custard. I think it would work since the egg yolks are the thickening agent. And by all means, use vanilla extract. If you do buy a vanilla bean, don't forget to save the pod to put in a jar of sugar to flavor it.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Custard: From the jaws of defeat
Cooking with eggs, beyond the average breakfast preparation, scares me. Eggs require a gentle touch and gentle heat. If you master that, you can make fantastic souffles, meringues, custards, butter creams, hollandaise, and mayonnaise, among other things. I've got meringues and mayonnaise figured out but the others are tough. I have made butter cream successfully only once. Hollandaise? Forget it. My trouble is that I get too hasty. These sauces with egg require patience that I struggle to summon. Pouring hot liquid drop by drop into beaten egg yolk is boring.
Anyway, I decided to try a custard (the runny type not the set type) because it is a necessary requirement for the iles flottants (floating islands) I'm making for a dinner party chez moi tonight. Floating islands are light puffs of poached, sweetened egg white, aka meringue, swimming in a pool of custard with toasted almonds and spun caramel for garnish.
Custard is also great on just about any fruit or cake or pie. I'd even eat it w/ cereal for breakfast.
Here is the recipe for runny custard:
8 large egg yolks (save the white for a meringue or souffle)
2 c. plus 3 T. whole milk
2 c. heavy cream
6 T sugar
1 vanilla bean scored lengthwise and seeds removed
Put the egg yolks and 2T sugar in a standing mixer and whisk until the eggs are pale yellow and creamy. I just let the Kitchen Aid run while I do other things.
Meanwhile put the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla seeds in a saucepan. Bring almost to the point of simmer and then turn off. Slowly ladle small spoonfuls into the eggs. I keep the mixer running. Go SLOW or the eggs will scramble. Once it has been incorporated, put the entire mixture back into the sauce pan and heat gently over low heat for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk often, using a wire whisk. Once finished, put the saucepan into a cold water bath with ice to stop the custard from cooking. Keep whisking.
I ran into trouble when I put the custard back on the stove top. The gas was too high so I could not get the custard cooled down quickly enough to stop the cooking. I was aghast to see little curds begin to appear in my beautiful custard. Quickly I strained the custard through a fine mesh sieve a couple of times into a bowl. Then I whisked like mad with the bowl surrounded by ice. Thankfully my custard was saved, and it taught me the lesson I already knew: be patient and do not rush. It is a valuable lesson for life in general, and I do need reminding.
Anyway, I decided to try a custard (the runny type not the set type) because it is a necessary requirement for the iles flottants (floating islands) I'm making for a dinner party chez moi tonight. Floating islands are light puffs of poached, sweetened egg white, aka meringue, swimming in a pool of custard with toasted almonds and spun caramel for garnish.
Custard is also great on just about any fruit or cake or pie. I'd even eat it w/ cereal for breakfast.
Here is the recipe for runny custard:
8 large egg yolks (save the white for a meringue or souffle)
2 c. plus 3 T. whole milk
2 c. heavy cream
6 T sugar
1 vanilla bean scored lengthwise and seeds removed
Put the egg yolks and 2T sugar in a standing mixer and whisk until the eggs are pale yellow and creamy. I just let the Kitchen Aid run while I do other things.
Meanwhile put the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla seeds in a saucepan. Bring almost to the point of simmer and then turn off. Slowly ladle small spoonfuls into the eggs. I keep the mixer running. Go SLOW or the eggs will scramble. Once it has been incorporated, put the entire mixture back into the sauce pan and heat gently over low heat for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk often, using a wire whisk. Once finished, put the saucepan into a cold water bath with ice to stop the custard from cooking. Keep whisking.
I ran into trouble when I put the custard back on the stove top. The gas was too high so I could not get the custard cooled down quickly enough to stop the cooking. I was aghast to see little curds begin to appear in my beautiful custard. Quickly I strained the custard through a fine mesh sieve a couple of times into a bowl. Then I whisked like mad with the bowl surrounded by ice. Thankfully my custard was saved, and it taught me the lesson I already knew: be patient and do not rush. It is a valuable lesson for life in general, and I do need reminding.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)