Peruvian Cream

[Olga Drozd]

PERUVIAN CREAM:

2 1/2 cups milk (625 mL)
2/3 cup freshly roasted coffee beans
2 inch vanilla bean

1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cold water
2 to 3 Tablespoons hot water
3 1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, broken into 4 or 5 pieces
5 egg yolks
1 whole egg

In a saucepan heat the milk to the boiling point.

Meanwhile, spread the coffee beans on a baking sheet and warm them in a preheated 350º F. oven for a few minutes, or until the beans start to sweat.

Remove the milk from the heat and the coffee beans along with the vanilla bean.  Cover, and leave to infuse for 30 minutes over the lowest possible heat, protecting the bottom of the pan with a fireproof pad.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the cold water and cook over medium heat until the sugar caramelizes and is very pale in color.  Immediately immerse the bottom of the pan in a bowl of cold water to arrest the cooking.  Add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of hot water to dilute the caramel.  Return the saucepan to very low heat and stir the mixture until it turns into a smooth syrup. Set it aside off the heat.

Place the chocolate in a saucepan and add enough of the infused milk to cover it.  Cover the pan and place it over extremely low heat.  When the chocolate has softened, after a few minutes, work it with a wooden spoon until it becomes a smooth paste.  Remove the chocolate from the heat.

Pour the remaining infused milk through a strainer into a clean bowl.  Discard the coffee and vanilla beans.  Stir in the chocolate, then stir in the caramel syrup.

Place the egg yolks and the whole egg in a bowl and mix them thoroughly with a whisk.  A little at a time, add the chocolate-and-caramel mixture, whisking gently to blend the eggs and liquid thoroughly.  Whisking too vigorously will create an excessive amount of froth.  Pour the mixture through a strainer lined with dampened cheesecloth to remove any particles of egg.

Fill six individual ovenproof pots with the cream and place them in a pan just large enough to hold them easily.  Pour into the pan enough boiling water to come 2/3 of the way up the sides of the pots.  Put the pan in a preheated 300º F. oven and cover it with a close fitting lid.  The oven should keep the water hot, but not boiling.  Check the pan frequently; as soon as you notice the slightest trembling of the water, add a few spoonfuls of cold water.

The cooking time varies with the size of the pots used.  For 3 to 3 1/2 ounce pots, allow 18 to 20 minutes.  For 4-ounce pots, allow 23 to 25 minutes.  To test whether the cream is sufficiently cooked, tip one of the pots slightly; the cream should tremble but remain firm.

Remove the pan from the oven.  Leave the pots in the water for a few minutes, then take them out and chill them for about 2 1/2 hours.

To serve, wipe the pots carefully and arrange them on a napkin-covered serving dish or platter; the napkin will ensure that the pots do not slide around while being served.  Serves 6.

La Cuisine De Madame Saint-Ange