One of my lovely friends made these things a while back, and showed me a picture.
I maintain that I had found a waaaay before she ever did.
And I had already planned on making them. So.
I’m not copying her.
Just so we’re clear.
After saving my magazine for a month or two, when I had time to make these delights, I couldn’t find it.
(i know that sounds suspect.)
Anyway..
I looked all around the internet to compare and contrast..
I found a recipe that seemed easier than the rest.
(it’s still pretty involved)
And then I tweaked it.
I melted the butter in a saucepan then added some brown sugar and salt.
I whisked, and kept whisking.
At some point, I realized that I maybe didn’t have the heat high enough.
Higher than low, is what you’re looking for.
It’s got to start glossing up.
Lookin’ shiny like a new Cadillac.
The directions I read told me to add 1/3 of the cream after I had removed the pot from the heat..
I decided that turning off the flame was good enough.
Nope.
No, it is not.
That shit bubbled up to my arm skin and hairs like that 90s movie Backdraft.
I thought it was curtains for me. Curtains.
If you get hot melted sugar on your skin, that’s the end.
My friend still has a huge scar on his hand after pretending to light a rolled up stick of Big Red gum like a joint.
No scar tissue here.
(BESIDES THE ONES ON THE INSIDE)
I whisked in the rest of the cream and brought it to a simmer.
I had my bowl of yolks sitting on standby in a big enough bowl, and tempered in the sugar/cream mixture.
After, I poured the custard through a strainer into a pitcher.
I set ramekins in a roasting pan, and poured the custard in.
I set them on the middle rack of my oven, preheated at 325.
Then poured hot water into the pan.
I covered them with tinfoil.
I cooked those guys for about an hour, let them cool for 20, then put them in my fridge.. water and all.
The next morning I ate one for breakfast.
The flavor, and texture was outstanding.
Intense… Super intense.
To be honest, I think I might have cooked the sugar a bit long.
I decided that when I served them, I had better cut them with something lighter.
So I whipped up some vanilla whipped cream, and crushed up some Lorna Doones.
(they’re very delicate, so you can just mash them with your hands in a Ziploc bag.)
I fell in love with these little cookies after trying them when we got our “Cookie Cats” when I was a kid.
I named mine Oreo(NATCH), and Macaroon and Lorna Dune followed.
Dune, after the book. (she was my brother’s cat.) (that should be self-explanatory.)
The shortbread worked a lot better for presentation.
And I used my little ice cream scooper for the cream.
Brad didn’t like these at all.
The whipped cream, yes..
Custard? No.
It’s a very adult flavored sweet custard. Complex.
Juan’s friend brought his son, and though he was very polite about it, I was positive it wasn’t his bag either.
RECIPES
Pots De Creme
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp sea salt
5 cups heavy cream
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
(seriously, this is a doubled recipe. half it.)
Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
