Creme Anglaise

Creme Anglaise 

Creme Anglaise is basically custard made the traditional way. Traditionally prepared custard tastes amazing. Its creamy , full of flavour and delightful. This unlike Creme Patissiere is more liquid in consistency.

It is one of the easiest dishes to prepare. Not only does it taste excellent when chilled and served with fresh fruits. Its the base for innumerable desserts.

So here is a classic version which I have followed from the classic book, Larousse Gastronomique :-

8 egg yolks
250gm caster sugar
500ml whole milk
Zest of 1 lemon / 1 vanilla pod

Bring the milk to a boil and cool it down till it reaches a lukewarm temperature. In the meantime while it is cooling down whisk the egg yolks with the sugar over a double boiler till it reaches the ribbon stage.

Now slowly add the lukewarm milk  and put the bowl back on the double boiler sitting it with a wooden spoon till it coats the spoon. Be sure to immediately take it off the heat once it coats the spoon. Once done add the zest and whisk well. Strain and your delightful Creme Anglaise is ready.

If you are using vanilla flavouring. Add a pod to the milk when boiling it.

Important tips. :-

1. Though this will take practice try and not overcook the custard else it will definitely curdle. 
2. In case you see the first signs of curdling immediately take it off the heat and put it over an ice bath and keep whisking with added milk and strain the Creme Anglaise as a saving grace. 

Leek and Cheese Quiche

Leek and Cheese Quiche

When I have friends over I usually feel that I am not serving enough food. So when I called over Pritha (who has this lovely blog 'Guilt-Free ' )  for some Brioche au Chocolat  and Cafe Frappe I was at a complete loss as to the savoury items which must be served for a tea party.

It was mostly because I was too lazy to visit New Market (one of the biggest market in Calcutta which stocks up a lot of ingredients) and due to the encephalitis scare we are all avoiding Porky items. That is a big drawback for me because when you have ham and cheese and a bit of bacon anyone can make a fabulous dish but with no porky items I was a bit confused. What added to that confusion was the absence of my internet but I had Camembert at home and having made quiche and tarts before I decided that I would just take a shot and create a recipe .

Once you make tarts and quiche shells you get an idea about the ingredients ratio etc and so its not too problematic to make a tart shell. I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted a flaky crust with a cheese filling.

So here goes the recipe :-

For the shell

150gm flour
100gm chilled butter
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt

For the filling :-

125gm Camembert cheese
50gm butter
1 to 1.5 tbsp flour
250ml to 300ml whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg powder
Salt as per taste
Half a finely  chopped leek

Start by cutting the butter in little cubes and using your hands to quickly mix it with the flour. When it feels gritty add the yolk and salt and quickly form a dough and refrigerate for 2 hours. When rolling it out do it over a clean floured work surface and gently place it on the buttered tart pan. Do not worry if it breaks a little just press the broken bits to the tart pan to form a smooth shell, it will come out as a single shell once you bake it.

Preheat oven to 200C and bake the tart shell for 25 minutes to 35 minutes.

Saute the leek in butter and when softened keep it aside. In the meanwhile make your bechamel base by melting the butter and adding the flour and creating a roux by stirring continuously and taking care not to burn it and slowly add the milk bit by bit and the nutmeg and salt while whisking and let it come to a slow boil and simmer for 2 minutes to create a smooth sauce whisking throughout the process.

Once the tart shell is baked let it cool down for 15 minutes and add the bechamel sauce and top with the sauteed leek and sliced cheese and add on top and bake for 15 minutes to 20 minutes.

Note : This is an extremely heavy dish mostly suitable for cold weather