Cooking for Two (36 page)

1.
Lightly beat the egg yolk or quail eggs with a fork in a small bowl; set aside.

2.
Mix the milk, chocolate, sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small pan. Set the pan over very low heat and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Raise the heat to medium and continue whisking until the mixture begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly.

3.
Whisk 2 tablespoons of this hot chocolate mixture into the egg yolk, then whisk the chocolate-egg yolk mixture back into the pan. Return the pan to low heat; continue cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. For a more accurate test of its doneness, dip a wooden spoon into the chocolate mixture, then run
your finger across the back of the spoon. The line you make in the chocolate mixture should stay put, without any running.

4.
Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts, then pour this mixture into two 1-cup ramekins or bowls, or into one 2-cup serving bowl. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set, about 2 hours. (On the serious subject of pudding skin, see page 229.) You can make this pudding up to 2 days ahead of time; cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.

B
AKED
R
ICE
P
UDDING
makes
2 small ramekins of rice pudding

R
ice pudding is one of those desserts that comes coated with all the nostalgia of a June Cleaver household. No wonder: it’s comforting, creamy, and delicious. The custard rises to the top as it bakes, forming a creamy layer over the rice. Here, we’ve studded the custard with dried cranberries and spiked it with crystallized ginger—but you can omit both and double the vanilla for a more standard pudding.

1.
Bring the water to a simmer in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, cover, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Meanwhile, position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 1½-cup oven-safe ramekins (about 3 ½ inches wide and 2 inches deep); set aside.

2.
Transfer the warm rice to a medium bowl and stir in the sugar, cranberries, and crystallized ginger. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk, milk, vanilla, and salt until uniform. Pour this mixture over the rice mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

3.
Divide the rice-and-milk mixture between the two prepared ramekins. Place these ramekins in a small roasting pan or a shallow
casserole. Fill the roasting pan with hot water until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in this water bath for 40 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the custard. Serve warm, or let stand at room temperature until cooled, then cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

M
APLE
C
RÈME
B
RÛLÉE
makes
2 crème brûlées

A
lthough crème brûlée inspires fervid devotees, it’s really a simple dessert, a creamy custard with a burned sugar topping. Here, we’ve lightened the original somewhat, using half-and-half rather than cream (which you can, of course, use for the original decadence). For best results, use real maple syrup, preferably Grade A Dark Amber, a sturdier, heartier maple syrup, which is not as delicate as the Grade A Light Amber usually served with pancakes.

1.
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the half-and-half in a small saucepan and warm it over low heat until small bubbles form around the sides of the pan. Meanwhile, beat the syrup and egg yolks or quail eggs in a medium bowl with a whisk until pale yellow, about 3 minutes.

2.
Whisk the cornstarch into the yolk mixture, then whisk in about ¼ cup of the warmed half-and-half, drizzling it in a thin, steady stream. Continue whisking until the mixture is uniform, then whisk this egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the half-and-half. Cook over low heat for about 1 minute, or just until slightly thickened, whisking constantly. You can also test for doneness by dipping a wooden spoon into the hot mixture, then running your finger across the back of the spoon. The line you make should stay in place, without sagging or without cream running into it. Stir in the vanilla.

3.
Pour the slightly thickened custard into two small, shallow, heat-safe baking dishes, ramekins, or custard cups, each about ¾ cup to 1 cup in size. Place these baking dishes in a medium roasting pan or a shallow casserole dish; add hot water to the roasting pan until the water comes halfway up the sides of the baking dishes. Bake in this water bath for 50 minutes. To test for doneness, jiggle the pan gently—the custard should appear set. Remove the baking dishes from the water bath, place them on a wire rack, and cool for 5 minutes. The dessert can be made in advance up to this point; cool the custard to room temperature, then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let the custards return to room temperature before preparing the topping.

4.
Sprinkle each custard with 2 teaspoons sugar. Burn the sugar on the top of each custard with a kitchen blowtorch. Alternatively, preheat the broiler and broil the custards on a broiler rack or baking sheet set about 4 to 6 inches from the heat source; broil until the sugar is caramelized, about 2 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve; or let stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving.

Just a pear or two or a crisp apple—a little bit of fruit makes a great dessert for two, whether quite simple, as in Baked Bananas with Rum, or very elegant, such as Lemon Meringue Tartlets. There’s only one rule of thumb for buying fresh fruit: if it doesn’t smell like anything, it won’t taste like anything either. So buy the best you can find and discover fruit desserts—for the first time or once again.

A
PPLE
C
RANBERRY
C
OBBLER
makes
2 servings

T
his cobbler filling is thickened with tapioca, which gives the apples and cranberries the rich taste and texture of a pie filling. The crackly topping includes cornmeal for good crunch. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream, dollops of sweetened whipped cream, or sweetened crème fraîche.