I must start this post by saying that I did not pick pots de creme as a birthday treat for my better half. I could have though. He likes them. A lot. But, it became evident as I was reading your comment that there were a lot of delicious other desserts we could sink our teeth into and we still would have plenty to chose from for next year. You guys are awesome! Thank you!
I knew that I had to ask him for a bit of input. He said cake. Chocolate. Nuts. Soft and crunchy. No minis. No fruits. No coconut shreds. Nothing jellied. I picked out about 15 that fit that category (adding time, heat and humidity in that equation for the one baking, me).
I just made the cake this afternoon and started taking pictures, you can see a little preview of the goodness to come on my Flickr page. I have to wait until he gets home from work to finally cut into it and take some more pictures. I am excited to see if the inside is as good as the outside promises it to be. Some candles, a dusting of cocoa powder and we are good to go!
The cake we chose and the winner will be revealed soon…
In the meantime, I thought I would share with you a recipe I created for the Paula Deen website. Back in January, one of the food editors emailed about contributing to their Bake Sale section. With the holidays, travels, workshops and work it took everyone a bit of time to get all our ducks in a row but it finally went up yesterday. I was happy to give readers something wholesome, seasonal and with a bit of a French flair that was neither difficult or time consuming to make. Honey and lemon…always a wonderful combination.
Thank you for all the good wishes for Bill.
Happy Birthday babe..!
Honey Lemon Pots De Creme:
Serves 6
1 1/2 cups (375ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1/3 cup honey
zest and juice of 2-3 lemons (you’ll need 1/4 cup or 60ml of juice)
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 325Fº and position a rack in the center. Place your ramekins in a heavy deep pan and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Turn the heat off but keep the cream warm.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and honey for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the heavy cream over the egg yolk mixture, whisking well. Let stand for a couple of minutes to let any foam rise to the top, skim it off and divide the mixture among your ramekins. Pour hot water inside the pan, making sure the water comes at least halfway up the sides of your dishes. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve with madeleines or your favorite tea cookies.