just desserts: peach pot de crème

Who can resist the combination of peaches and cream? Why not step up the combination with a peach pot de crème served with seasonably fresh peaches? Pots de crème are essentially custards baked in diminutive pots. Custard is derived from the medieval word “croustade” which means dishes served in a crust. As most of us know, a custard is made with milk (or cream) and eggs, but according to the book On Food and Science any liquid combined with the eggs will do, even water! As long as a mineral, such as salt, is dissolved a “coherent gel” will form. This is an interesting fact, if not an appealing one. Our modern definition of custard arrived in the 1600’s when it became popular to bake fruit crèmes in individual dishes instead of using them as a filling for crusts. The pots associated with pots de crème arrived on the scene... Read the Rest →

 

just desserts: tartlets in a pinch

If you are the parent of a competitive swimmer then you understand how an entire 3 days can be consumed by a swim meet. This past weekend a friend had a small dinner party. I wanted to go because I knew it would be relaxing and the food would be delicious, but the expectation from the hostess as well as guests was that I was to bring dessert. I love the opportunity to bake for a small gathering and not just my family. However, on a swim meet weekend this can be a problem. How can it be done without losing vast hours of sleep? Here are my tips on baking in a pinch: 1. Whenever you make a pie, tart, cookie or any freezable dough double the recipe and freeze the portion you do not use immediately. (Don’t forget to label the dough to be frozen!) 2. You might... Read the Rest →