Crème à la Vanille, Moulée

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Four 6-ounce (180 ml) smooth-sided custard moulds or ramekins
• •9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) deep roasting pan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Heatproof jug
• •Small saucepan
• •Whisk
• •Aluminium foil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the moulds

   Heat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Brush four smooth-sided 6-ounce moulds or ramekins with the thinnest complete film of softened butter, reaching into the bottom edges without leaving visible clumps. Set them in a deep roasting pan with enough space between them for water to circulate.

2. 2

   Infuse the vanilla

   Combine the milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring them just to a full boil, stirring along the bottom until the sugar dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat immediately, add the split vanilla bean, cover, and infuse for 20 minutes. Lift out the bean without squeezing it. Keep this batch vanilla. The book also names Pralin (No. 2352) as a separate flavouring for moulded custards; for that alternate batch, omit the vanilla and use the finished Pralin according to its own entry rather than making it here.

3. 3

   Temper the eggs

   Whisk the measured whole egg and four yolks in a heatproof bowl until completely blended. Pour in the hot infused milk little by little, whisking briskly as the first additions meet the eggs, then continuing in a thin steady stream. This gradual tempering raises the eggs' temperature without scrambling them. If a few fine strands set, don't throw out the bowl. Ça se rattrape: the sieve in the next step will catch them. If the eggs form broad curds, they have gone too far and the base must be remade.

4. 4

   Strain and skim

   Pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jug. Let it stand for 2 minutes, then skim away every patch of froth with a shallow spoon. Pour the custard evenly into the prepared moulds, stopping about ½ inch below their rims, and remove any new bubbles from the surface. This is not decorative fuss. Trapped air expands during poaching and marks the finished custard with holes.

5. 5

   Poach at 185°F

   Cover each mould with a loose foil lid, then place the roasting pan on the oven rack. Pour 180 to 185°F (82 to 85°C) water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the moulds. Poach for 40 to 55 minutes, checking the water every 15 minutes and keeping it near 185°F. The custards are ready when the edges are set, the centres tremble softly as one mass, and an instant-read thermometer at the centre registers about 170°F (77°C). Remove them from the bath at once. If the water begins to boil, lift the pan from the oven and replace some hot water with cool water immediately. Ça se rattrape if you catch it quickly; if the finished custards are already pocked, chill and serve them in their moulds rather than turning them out.

   Never judge the custard by a firm centre. It continues setting as it cools, and baking until rigid produces a grainy texture even when the surface looks respectable.
6. 6

   Cool and chill

   Remove the foil and leave the custards on a rack until they reach room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover them once cold and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The chill finishes the set and contracts the custard slightly from the mould, which makes a clean release possible.

7. 7

   Turn out gently

   Wipe each mould completely dry. Loosen only the uppermost edge with the point of a thin knife, place a chilled dessert plate over the mould, and invert both together. Leave the mould in place for 2 minutes before lifting it straight up. If the custard clings, wrap the mould briefly in a warm damp towel and try again; don't shake it into submission. Serve plain, cool rather than icy, while its vanilla perfume is open. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The unusual 75 grams of whole egg is deliberate. It preserves the source formula exactly when the quart-sized recipe is halved; beat two whole eggs together, weigh what you need, and save the remainder for tomorrow's breakfast.
• •Use a thermometer for the bain-marie, not for ceremony but because boiling water is the one true enemy here. At 185°F the custard sets evenly; once the bath boils, expanding air riddles it with tiny holes.
• •Choose smooth-sided moulds with a slight outward flare. Deep ridges and inward-curving rims may look charming on the shelf, but they hold a delicate custard hostage.
• •Serve the custards cool, not straight from the coldest part of the refrigerator. Ten minutes at room temperature restores the vanilla aroma without softening the set.

Advance Preparation

• •Poach and chill the custards a day before serving. Keep them covered in their moulds and turn them out shortly before they go to the table.
• •The finished custards keep for up to 2 days under refrigeration. Do not freeze them, since freezing separates the delicate egg and milk structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)