Julia's Kitchen Wisdom (22 page)

CUSTARD DESSERT SAUCES AND FILLINGS

Custard sauces are certainly essential to any cook’s repertoire, the most important and useful being the classic
crème anglaise
, which is the basis for many desserts, ice creams, puddings, and other sauces. As with hollandaise, you have to deal with the egg yolk and its vagaries, but just remember that you are in control, and it is only the heat source that needs your full attention.

MASTER RECIPE

Crème Anglaise—Classic Custard Sauce
For about 2 cups

6 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

1½ cups hot milk

3 Tbs butter, optional

1 Tbs pure vanilla extract

2 Tbs dark rum, cognac, or other liqueur, optional

Whisk the egg yolks in a 2-quart stainless-steel saucepan, adding the sugar by spoonfuls. Continue whisking for 2 to 3 minutes, until the yolks are thick and pale yellow and
“form the ribbon”
. By dribbles at first, stir in the hot milk.

Set over moderate heat, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon, reaching all over the bottom of the pan as the custard gradually heats and thickens—do not let it come near the boil. If it seems to be getting too hot, lift pan up, then continue as the sauce thickens. You are almost there when surface bubbles begin to disappear and you may see a whiff of steam arise.

When Is It Done?
It coats the spoon in a light, creamy layer.

Beat in the optional butter, the vanilla, and the optional spirits. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Storage.
Remember that this is an egg-yolk sauce, and should not sit around at room temperature for more than ½ hour. To store for 2 to 3 days, refrigerate, and cover when cold.

Floating Island

A dramatic use for
crème anglaise—
huge caramel-streaked baked meringue chunks floating on a sea of custard sauce. For 6 to 8 servings, butter a 4-quart straight-sided baking dish and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Set rack in lower-middle level of oven and preheat to 250°F.

Beat ⅔ cup egg whites (about 12) into
soft peaks
, and
continue beating to stiff, shining peaks while adding 1½ cups sugar by big spoonfuls. Turn this meringue into the baking dish. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the meringue has risen 3 to 4 inches and a skewer plunged down into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool—it will sink down. (May be baked several days in advance; may be frozen.)

To serve, pour 2 cups of
crème anglaise
(see preceding recipe) into a round serving dish. Unmold the meringue onto a baking sheet, cut into 6 to 8 big chunks, and arrange over the sauce. Boil 1 cup of sugar and ⅓ cup water to the
caramel stage
, and when cooled slightly into a heavy syrup, weave decorative strands of caramel over the meringue, using the tines of a fork.

Pastry Cream—
Crème Pâtissière

Custard filling for pies, tarts, cakes, and miscellaneous desserts. For about 2½ cups. Whisk 6 egg yolks in a stainless-steel saucepan, gradually adding ½ cup sugar and a pinch of salt. Continue until eggs are thick and pale yellow, and
“form the ribbon”
. Sift on and whisk in ½ cup flour or cornstarch. By dribbles at first, whisk in 2 cups hot milk or half-and-half. Whisking slowly, bring to the boil, then whisk vigorously for a few seconds to smooth out any lumps. Simmer slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes, to cook the flour or starch. Remove from heat and blend in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract and, if you wish, 2 tablespoons each unsalted butter and rum or kirsch. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Let cool, stirring up occasionally to prevent lumps.

To Store.
Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming; cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days or freeze.

VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS

• TO LIGHTEN THE SAUCE
  , fold in ½ cup of whipped cream. Or give it volume and staying power by combining it with 2 cups of
  Italian meringue
  ; just fold them together and you have created
  crème Chiboust
  , which you can then use as a cake filling or frosting, or as the custard base for fruit tarts.
  

Sabayon

A wine-custard sauce for fruit desserts. Whisk 1 egg, 2 egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, a pinch of salt, ⅓ cup Marsala, sherry, rum, or bourbon, and ⅓ cup dry white French vermouth in a stainless-steel saucepan. When well blended, whisk rather slowly over moderately low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until sauce has thickened and is foamy, and quite warm to your finger—but do not let it come to the simmer. Serve warm or cold.

Classic Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousses were of this general type before the popularity of
chocolate ganache
, and the ganache is far quicker and easier, being only melted chocolate and heavy cream. You can make a ganache even more attractive when you fold in beaten egg whites, and you go to even greater heights when you blend in
Italian meringue
. However, the following smooth, rich, velvety classic continues to be my favorite of all chocolate mousses.

For about 5 cups, serving 6 to 8. Melt 6 ounces
semisweet chocolate
in 4 tablespoons strong coffee, and cut 1½ sticks of unsalted butter into rough slices, so it will soften. Meanwhile, beat together in a bowl 4 egg yolks and ¼ cup orange liqueur, gradually adding ¾ cup sugar, and continue beating until it is thick and pale yellow and
“forms the ribbon”
. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and continue beating 4 to 5 minutes, until it is foamy, and warm to your finger. Remove from heat and beat over a bowl of cold water (or in a standing mixer) until it is cool and thick and again forms the ribbon.

When the chocolate has melted, smoothly blend in the butter, and fold into the egg-yolk mixture. Beat 4 egg whites to soft peaks, then to stiff,
shining peaks with 2 tablespoons sugar
. Stir a quarter of this into the yolks and chocolate, then delicately fold in the rest.

Turn the mousse into a 6-cup serving dish or individual cups or
pots de crème.
Cover and chill for several hours (the mousse will keep in the refrigerator several days). Serve with lightly
whipped cream
or the above
crème anglaise.

Forming a round loaf

Beating egg whites to stiff, shining peaks

Goose ready to take off

A long-handled brush is handy for basting a turkey.

Smoothing melted chocolate