Top O' The Mornin' To Ya

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Okay, Emiline, here it is, my contribution to your St. Paddy's Day Pub Crawl Blogging Event! Enjoy it...goodness knows, I did. I’ve also prepared a little slide show for your enjoyment.

Baked Meringue Raft in a River of Eggnog Custard

Meringue
6 whites
¾ tsp. cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar
Add sugar when soft peaks form.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Butter and very well sugar a 2 quart soufflé dish. (The truth is you can use a bigger one and the meringue won’t rise high and mighty above the dish, but it doesn’t really matter, because it sinks anyway.)

Beat whites until frothy on medium speed. Add cream of tartar (according to Rose Levy Baranbaum’s formula of 1 tsp. cream of tartar per 8 oz. or 8 egg whites). Beat on high speed just until soft peaks form. Start adding the sugar by tablespoons, turning down the speed just as you add the sugar and then returning the mixer to high. Beat until very stiff and glossy.

Put into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean. Cool on counter. Meringue will fall…a lot. Unmold and serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare custard.

Custard
6 yolks
¾ cup plus 2 tbls. sugar (see note)
3 cups milk (use whole, if you want it to be good)
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup brandy plus 2 tbls. (6 tbls. in all)
2 tsps. peach or apricot liqueur
2 tsps. rum
freshly grated nutmeg

Bring milk and cream just to the boil.

Beat yolks and sugar until pale yellow in medium saucepan. Or beat in mixer bowl and transfer to saucepan. Add ½ cup hot milk mixture to yolks and whisk madly. Pour in remaining hot milk, whisking all the time.

Cook over medium heat, stirring all the time, until custard measures 180°F on a candy thermometer or until all the foam on the top has disappeared. Chill for at least an hour. Overnight is fine too.

To serve, unmold meringue. Run knife around edge and place serving platter on top. Turn over quickly and meringue will come right out. Cut into fat wedges. Pour custard into bottom of shallow bowl. Carefully place meringue over custard. Grate a bit of nutmeg over. Serve immediately.

Note: One cup of sugar is a bit too sweet. ¾ cups isn’t quite sweet enough, so this is 2 tablespoons shy of a cup.

A year ago today...Just How Many Artichoke Hearts Can We Eat? and...The Flavors Of Your Life and...The Steaks Are High