Spiced Creme Anglaise Recipes

Steps:

• Bring milk, cream and vanilla bean pulp and pod to a boil. Cover pan, turn off heat and let rest for at least 10 minutes or for up to 1 hour.
• Fill a large bowl with ice cubes, and set aside a smaller bowl that can hold finished cream.
• Whisk yolks and sugar together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisking constantly, drizzle in one-quarter of the hot liquid. When yolks are warm, add the rest of the liquid in a steadier stream. Remove pod, return pan to medium heat and, whisking vigorously, cook cream until it thickens slightly, lightens in color and reaches 180 degrees. Alternatively, you can coat a wooden spoon with cream, then draw your finger across it; if cream doesn't run into the track you have created, it's done.
• Immediately remove pan from heat, and allow cream to rest for a few minutes until it reaches 182 degrees. Strain cream into the small bowl, set bowl into ice bath, add cold water and, stirring frequently, cool completely. Cover cream and chill, if possible for 24 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 360 degrees F. Put raisins for creme anglaise recipe in brandy to soak. Spray nonstick 8-mini Bundt cake pan (Wilton mini Bundt 14 3/4 by 9 7/8-inches) with nonstick baking spray.
• In a medium bowl add oatmeal, and butter. Pour boiling water over, stir and allow to stand for 1 minute.
• In a stand mixer bowl beat eggs, sugar and brown sugar on high speed until creamy and light about 2 minutes. Add oatmeal mixture, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and mix on medium-high until creamy about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Lower speed to medium and mix in sour cream until blended. Turn off mixer and stir in berries by hand.
• Next using a ladle and a soup spoon to get all the batter, scoop batter into pans about 1/2 to almost 3/4 the way full making sure to have berries in each (this cake rises well so careful not to over fill). Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Make creme anglaise while cakes are baking. When done baking turn cakes out onto a large cooling rack that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. If you do not have a rack just turn out on the counter and use a spatula to pick up the cake when ready to plate.
• Spray a heavy bottom saucepan with nonstick spray and place over medium heat. Add half-and-half; watch closely and whisk. In a mixing bowl whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until it has a creamy texture, about 1 minute. Turn the heat up to medium-high and whisk the half-and-half constantly until it just starts to show steam coming off the top. Remove from heat and slowly temper the hot half-and-half to the egg mixture. Whisk well, return the mixture to the saucepan and place pan back on medium-high heat. While whisking constantly add cloves and cinnamon. Continue whisking until the anglaise just begins to boil then whisk even faster for about 30 to 40 seconds. You will know it is done if you place a wooden spoon in and the mixture sticks to it. Total cooking time is only about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add brandy and drained soaked raisins and whisk well. Watch the pot keeping in mind the pot is still hot from the heat. Give it a little whisk so it does not burn if you have a few minutes before plating. (Cook's Note: for some reason if you overcook the anglaise and it begins to look like curdled milk, remove from heat immediately and pour into a heat temperature safe blender and slowly temper in, (add more) half-and-half and pulse or whip until it looks creamy. It will happen quickly, less than a minute.)
• In a 1 shot, shot glass place raisins and brandy and top float with Ever Clear alcohol for fire. You want to have at least 1/2-inch clear space from the top of the mixture to the rim of the glass. Eating of the raisins is optional.
• Assembly:
• Using a standard dessert plate take a squeeze bottle of premade raspberry or blackberry sauce and draw 3 to 4 lines on the plate. Place the hot or warm mini Bundt cake in the middle of a dessert plate. Spoon creme anglasie sauce over cake allowing some to get into the middle and running over the sides. Now carefully place the finished fire glass in the hole in the middle of the cake. Place a sprig of fresh mint, a few fresh berries (and disk or spoon on the side for putting out the flame) to garnish and repeat process to finish all 8 of the mini cakes. Carry cakes to the table and light the fire glass in front of your guests. This is a very easy and quick recipe sure to impress your guests. Even the novice of cooks will have no problem. The wild berry cake is packed with succulent berries and the spiced anglaise just complements it so well. This is also very good cold.

Steps:

• Place cardamom pods with seeds in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until pods brown, about 5 minutes. Add milk, cream, and 1/4 cup sugar. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan; add bean. Bring mixture to boil. Whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes (do not boil). Cover and chill until cold, about 3 hours. Strain into medium pitcher. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Steps:

• Cut bread into 1″ pieces and allow to stale overnight. Place raisins with rum in a small bowl. Toss to coat, cover and allow to hydrate for at least one hour or overnight. Position rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350º F. Lightly grease a 13″ x 9″ casserole dish. Drain the raisins and reserve the liquor for creme anglaise. Pour milk in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl heat butter in microwave until liquid, do not overheat. Add butter to milk to cool it. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, spices, and salt. Mix well to combine. Add bread cubes and toss to coat, allowing mixture to stand for about 15 minutes for bread to absorb liquid. Stir a couple of times to make sure everything gets soaked. While bread cubes are soaking up the milk and egg mixture, mix together the butter, brown sugar, and pecans to create a crumble. Pour soaked bread into prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle brown sugar and pecan mixture evenly over the dish. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until set. Remove from oven. To prepare the Spiced Rum Creme Anglaise: Separate eggs, place yolks in medium-sized bowl. Heat cream and sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds. Add pod and seeds to the cream and continue to heat until cream begins to simmer around the sides of the pan, about 145º F. SLOWLY stream about half of the cream into the egg yolks, constantly whisking. It is very important to add the eggs slowly to avoid making scrambled eggs. Once the eggs are tempered add the remaining cream. Strain the egg and cream mixture back into the sauce pan to remove pods and seeds. Heat again stirring constantly over medium heat until cream is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in reserved rum. Refrigerate unused creme. Serve warm or cold over bread pudding. If you are making the creme anglaise ahead of time and wish to serve it warm, re-heat in a sauce pan over medium low heat (you will get scrambled eggs in the micro).

Steps:

• Cut the chilled butter into chunks, each about the size of a sugar cube.
• Sift the flour into a bowl then add the sugar , cinnamon and the salt if you are using it. Add the butter chunks evenly over the surface of the flour.
• Using your thumb and forefingers, rub the butter into the flour (this is easier with smaller chunks of butter). Continue until the butter is all incorporated. The mix should resemble biscuit/bread crumbs when it is ready.
• Add the water a little at a time, mixing thoroughly with a good sized spoon. When the mix reaches a smooth (and slightly sticky) consistency (which should look like cookie-dough), shape it into a ball and wrap it in cling film. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
• When the dough is nearly chilled, start making the filling. Peel, de-core and cut the apples into orange-segment-sized wedges. Place them in cold water if you are leaving them for any length of time to prevent them from browning.
• Mix the water, muscavado and light-brown sugars, cinnamon, lemon juice (and nutmeg & cloves if being used) in a jug/bowl.
• Melt the butter on a medium-high heat in a deep pan. Put the apples in and stir gently for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the liquid mix to the pan, keeping the heat at medium-high. Keep gently folding the mixture for 5 minutes until the apples begin to look mushy/fluffy (as boiled and shaken potatoes do). The apples will break up to some degree during this process - this is perfectly fine. The apples should all be darkened in colour if you've done this bit right. Leave the filling to cool in the air for about 10 minutes. During this time the fruit will begin to congeal a little more.
• Take the dough from the fridge. Divide it into two balls and roll each one out into a disc, each slightly larger than the top of an 8" diameter pie dish (by about 1" all round). Use a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking; rubbing flour onto the rolling pin will also help. By rolling one way then the other, you can easily achieve a neat circle. I prefer to use my hands to shape and flatten the dough however.
• Rub butter onto the pie dish (including the up-facing lip/edge of the dish). Place the first dough-disc squarely into the dish - make sure it sits flat against the walls of the dish and that it covers the lip of the dish, with a little extra (which you will trim in a minute).
• It is time to add the filling now - but make sure you drain it well! Either sieve off the liquid or use a slotted spoon to remove as much liquid as possible - if the filling is too wet the pasty will not cook properly. You can keep the liquid to drink, warmed, as a delicious punch, or even use as a sauce if you don't like creamy/custard like sauces on your pie. If you refrigerate it this sauce will thicken up a bit.
• Next whisk up the egg and 2 tablespoons of water. Paint the mixture onto the lip of the pastry (using a pastry brush or your fingertips). This will glue the two halves together.
• Now place your other pastry disc on top of the pie. Using a sharp knife, cut down through the top of the pastry to remove the excess. Use the edge of the pie dish to guide your knife - the pastry should be flush with the edge of the dish.
• Using one or two fingers, work around the edge of the pie, crimping the pastry together. As well as adding an attractive fluted edge to the crust, this will help to glue the edges together.
• Cut a series of 3 or 4 slashes into the top of the pastry, ensuring you go right through. This will allow trapped air to escape and prevent the pastry from cracking open in an uncontrolled manner during cooking. If you have a pie-spout you can use this instead.
• Glaze the top of the pie with more of the egg glaze mix (don't feel that you must use all of it - you'll make the pasty soggy if you do!).
• Use a sieve to dust the top with the icing sugar and cinnamon.
• Place in a preheated oven, middle shelf at around 180 Celcius. Cook for around 30-40 minutes (fan assisted ovens will be quicker).
• When the top is browned and the pastry is firm all over take the dish from the oven and cool on a wire rack for around 20-30 minutes. DO NOT remove the pie from the dish until it has cooled as it will most likely disintegrate!
• To make the Crème Anglaise sauce, place the milk in a pan. Add the sugar and vanilla (if using vanilla pods, you can use the seeds from a pod, and or the pod itself. I have successfully used a pod which has been in a box of sugar for 3 months to make vanilla sugar and it worked perfectly). Heat gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the vanilla to infuse into the milk properly.
• In a jug/bowl, place the cornflour and add a little milk (roughly 1 tablespoon milk to 2 tablespoons of cornflour). Stir thoroughly until it forms a thick paste, adding a little more milk if necessary.
• Pour the mix into the milk pan, stirring it in thoroughly. Bring the milk to a boil, stirring continuously all the while. Be very careful and make sure you are using a non-stick pan here as the sauce can easily burn on the bottom. As soon as the sauce thickens to the consistency of custard/thick pureed soup, remove it from the heat. Continue to stir for a while to make sure the latent heat does not burn the sauce at the bottom of the pan.
• Pour liberally (hot or cold) onto hot or cold apple pie and enjoy!

Steps:

• Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl until smooth and pale.
• In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and vanilla.
• Stir over medium heat.
• Remove from the heat just before the milk starts to boil.
• While whisking, slowly pour the hot milk into the yolks.
• Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
• Let cool completely.
• Add the rum.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.