A perfect ending for a rich meal. Light and creamy custards, one flavored with lemon, the other with triple-strength coffee. The custards are called 'pots' and are based on the French pots de crème.
You know how jazz singer Dinah Washington croons, What a difference a daaaaay makes?
What a difference one ingredient makes! While COFFEE POTS are dark and mysterious, LEMON POTS are sunny and good-natured.
Either would be a perfect close to a Mother’s Day brunch. Make them up before church. By the time the food is served, they’ll be thick and creamy and luscious. And to all the mothers round the world who will be fêted with family festivities on Sunday, yes, What a difference a day does make!
For LEMON POTS, substitute fresh lemon juice for the coffee. However, scald the milk alone. Then whisk the lemon juice with the egg yolks and four, not two, tablespoons sugar before adding the hot milk.
Adjust the quantities and cooking time but consider using small oven-safe coffee mugs rather than ramekins. Serve POTS with small spoons to encourage savoring every silky smidgen. Want to use up those egg whites? Make part-white omelets within a couple of days. Or search for ‘meringues’ or ‘meringue kisses’ at www.epicurious.com for ideas. POT recipes are great examples of employing intensely flavored no-cal or low-cal ingredients for healthful, satisfying results.
COFFEE POTS
Oven time: 30 – 45 minutes
Chill time: several hours or overnight
Makes 5 half-cup servings
- 1-1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup triple-strength coffee
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon liqueur, optional
Measure milk and coffee into container with pouring spout such as four-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Pour into medium saucepan. Over medium heat, scald milk, that is, bring almost to a boil until bubbles begin to form along edge, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar well in measuring cup. Add liqueur and combine well.
A quarter cup at a time, add scalded milk to yolk mixture, whisking continuously. Arrange five ramekins in 9x13 baking pan and fill with milk mixture. Place pan in oven. Carefully pour very hot tap water (or boiling water) into pan until it reaches about halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake 30 – 45 minutes at 325F until just soft in center. Remove cups from pan, bring to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold and firm.
This recipe has been 'Alanna-sized' with reductions in sugar and fat.Especially for Spring and Easter Gatherings
For Easter, consider using broken egg shells as natural-looking ramekins. The hardest part is figuring out how to serve them - I used small liqueur glasses. But once you do, then it's easy. Just wash the shells and let dry. Then place the shells upright in something oven-safe and sturdy -- I used a muffin tin, each cup nested inside a ring of foil, inside a 9x13 pan. Fill the shells by pouring liquid custard through a small funnel. Cook for about 30 minutes. Very pretty!
More Recipes for Creamy Desserts
More Recipes for Mother's Day
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:-) Genie
4/06/2007
4/07/2007