Chef Gigi Gaggero

It doesn’t come more traditional than this! It’s time-consuming, but if you have the time to spare, you will learn why this recipe is a classic! It’s deliciously rich, creamy, and elegant.

 

You’ll Need

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

6 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon

1- vanilla bean, split, and beans scraped into milk

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

Unsweetened whipped cream for serving.

 

Here’s How

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk with the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape the vanilla seeds into the cream, and drop the empty pod in.

Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. Set aside, and allow the vanilla to steep in the cream for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar until thick and creamy, about 1 minute.

Reheat the cream just until warm, and slowly whisk 1/2 – 1 cup of the hot milk into egg yolks while whisking vigorously. This is called “Tempering.” Slowly adding some of the warm cream brings the eggs up to temperature and hopefully prevents curdling.

Now, you can bring the egg yolks to the same temperature as the milk. Begin cooking over low to moderate heat to form the custard, whisking constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup or bowl to help you pour into smaller serving vessels or molds if needed.

Preheat the oven to 300 Degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Bring a teapot filled with water to a boil.

Place the individual serving molds in a large, high-sided casserole baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with a non-slip silicon baking sheet or parchment paper. This will provide double the insulation so the custards can cook evenly and slowly and a non-slip surface when you remove the dish from the oven.

Place the sheet pan with the vessel containing the molds on the center rack in the preheated oven.

Gently stir the custard, remove any film that might have formed along with the vanilla pod, and discard.

Carefully fill each mold with the custard mixture while in the oven.

Once the molds are filled with the custard, carefully pour the hot water from the teapot around them. (Try not to splash.) Bring the water level up halfway—two-thirds up the sides of the molds.

Bake for 30 to 55 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the molds. To test for doneness, reach into the oven and gently shake one of the molds, using a tea towel to protect your hand. The custard should be set but will still jiggle slightly, like gelatin.

With tongs, carefully remove the molds one at a time onto a tea towel and then onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. For safety, wait for the water in the oven to cool before removing the sheet pan.

Serve the pots de crème with lightly sweetened whipped cream, white chocolate shavings, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Makes approximately 8-10 servings, depending on the size of your molds.

Note: If eggs begin to curdle in the tempering stage, immediately cool the cream before further additions and run the mixture through a sieve before proceeding to the next step.