PART 5: THE CUSTARD CONTINUUM Flashcards
What is chawanmushi?
An egg custard dish found in Japan. Unlike many other custards, it is usually eaten as a dish in a meal. The custard consists of an egg mixture flavored with soy sauce, dashi, and mirin, with numerous ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, kamaboko, yuri-ne (lily root), ginkgo and boiled shrimp placed into a tea-cup-like container. The recipe for the dish is similar to that of Chinese steamed eggs, but the toppings may often differ. Since egg custard, along with soup, can’t be picked up by chopsticks, it’s one of the few Japanese dishes that are eaten with a spoon.
The key to custards excellence is what?
Texture. You should be able to see the satiny smoothness the moment you cut into it.
What is the key to this texture?
Proper cooking.
Custards are often cooked in what?
Water bath, or bain marie, to ensure the temperature doesn’t get hotter than 212ºF and the egg cooks gently.
What happens if the eggs get too hot?
The egg proteins bunch up and the custard curdles and sets with a spongy porous texture.
What should a custard look like when properly cooked?
It shouldn’t be liquidy when you jiggle the dish, but nor should it be so cooked that there is no jiggle–that’s overcooked. It should be gently set at the outside and seem to have just crossed over the line between liquid and not solid, but the center should still have a little jiggle to it.
Do you need to cover cooked custard?
Depends. Some, like flan and creme brûlée, are flipped or caramelized with sugar; a skin doesn’t necessarily matter. But if you are serving the custard as is and don’t want the skin, then you should cover the custard, or the water bath, so that it bakes in a moist environment. Parchment topped with aluminum foils is a good one, some brands of plastic wrap, and lids that won’t collect moisture and drip back onto the custard.
As with most fundamental preparations, the custard has a continuum based on what ingredients go into it and how much of each, relative to others. They can be grouped into three distinct categories. What are they?
Free-standing, in a vessel, and as a sauce.
Custards that a free-standing need a little more structure. How is this achieved?
The structure is provided by egg whites, so dishes such as quiche, creme caramel, and cheese-cake usually include whole eggs.
Custards that are served in a dish require less structure. What is omitted?
Egg whites are usually left out; they may use only yolk. Creme brûlée and pot de creme, for example, which are cooked in their serving vessels in a water bath.
Custard sauces, based on creme anglaise, use only egg ______ and are cooked on the stovetop.
Yolks
Creme anglaise ticket with starch is what?
Pastry cream.
CUSTARD, FREE-STANDING
2 PARTS LIQUID: 1 PART EGG
Large eggs are about how many ounces?
2 ounces
16 ounces of milk blended with 4 large eggs will give you an excellent what?
Custard
How many eggs does it take to set 3/4 of a cup of milk into a perfect custard?
1 egg, so, as with all ratios and recipes, it can vary.
If you intend to turn the custard out and it needs to hold its shape, stick with what ratio?
The basic 2:1 ratio.
Why are extra yolks often added?
Texture and richness.
Do the quantity of fat and sugar affect the final outcome of custard? Explain.
Yes. If you’re using a lot of sugar, you may need to add a little more protein for structure. If you’re using only heavy cream, you may need less.
Can custards be flavored with anything?
Yes
In classical French cuisine, a custard can be diced and used as a garnish in consommé, which is called what?
Royale
Custards can be divided into these three categories.
Pourable, so delicate they must be served in a dish or container, and custards that have enough body that they can stand on their own.
What are quiches?
Custards baked in a crust that are usually loaded with interior garnish.
Custards shine brightest on which side of the meal?
The sweet side.
CLASSIC CREME CARAMEL RATIO
2 PARTS LIQUID: 1 PART EGG: 1/2 PART SUGAR (with a pinch of salt)
How deep should you coat creme caramel ramekins?
1/8 inch
How much should the caramel cool before adding the custard?
Into a hard candy.
Quiche is traditionally made with what size tart shell? Why?
2-inch by 9-inch ring mold so it’s deep enough to allow you to cook the custard properly.
What is the problem with cooking a custard in a pie shell?
Even if you cook the custard perfectly and don’t overcook it, which is easy to do when it’s so thin, the custard is still too shallow to offer its fundamental pleasure, which is a luxurious texture.
If making a French and Spanish style quick, what two cheeses could you use?
Comté and jack.
Can quiche be served hot or cold?
Yes
Should you blind bake a quick dough?
Yes
Should you dock a dough if you’re blind baking it for quiche?
No, blind bake it with beans or weights; do not put holes in your dough when adding liquid.
How long should you blind bake the dough?
30 minutes covered then 15 uncovered; until bottom crust is GBD.
What temperature should the dough be before adding the custard mixture?
Anywhere between cold and warm; it shouldn’t be piping hot.
How should you build a quiche?
By layering it. Solid, liquid, solid, liquid.
How long does quiche take to bake?
1 1/2 to 2 hours in a 2 by 9inch pan.
How long should you wait to cut into a cooked quiche?
Until its completely chilled.
What exotic type of fat can you use to flavor a quiche with?
Bone marrow or olive oil.
How can you reheat a quiche if serving warm?
Stick in the oven for 5-10 minutes on 325ºF
How should you prepare asparagus for a quiche?
Cook in brine strength water, then shock in ice water.
Best way to add flavor from hard stemmed herbs to custard.
Infuse it in the cream.
CREME ANGLAISE
4 PARTS MILK/CREAM: 1 PART YOLK: 1 PART SUGAR
What does adding starch to a creme anglaise give you?
Pastry cream.
What does adding butter to a creme anglaise give you?
Butter cream.
What does adding whipped cream and gelatin to creme anglaise give you?
Bavarian cream or creme legere.
How is pastry cream thickened?
With starch.
How is ice cream thickened?
By freezing.
How is creme brûlée thickened?
By baking.
How is creme anglaise thickened?
Cooking on the stovetop.
What does taking away yolks or cream do to an ice cream?
Makes it a looser consistency.
How much does a yolk weigh?
0.6 ounces
Creme anglaise is simply what?
A combination of milk and cream, sweetened with sugar, flavored with vanilla, enriched with and thickened by egg yolk.
One vanilla bean will flavor up to how much diary?
24 ounces
For a bavarian cream how much gelatin do you need per 2 cups (1 cup creme anglaise and 1 cup whipped cream) of dairy?
1/4 oz of gelatin
When should you add alcohol to an ice cream base?
At the end, when the creme anglaise is cooled.
What is a good ratio for the optimum creme brûlée?
2 cups dairy (equal milk and cream)
4 ounces sugar (1/2 cup)
4 ounces egg yolk (8 yolks)
1 vanilla bean
What should you put under creme brûlée ramekins?
A towel so they don’t slide.
Should you cover your ramekins of creme brûlée?
You can. Parchment then foil works best.
What happens if a cold custard for creme brûlée starts to develop condensation?
It was cause uneven browning.
Should you allow your creme brûlée to temper before serving?
Yes, it’s best at room temperature.
How should you coat a creme brûlée?
Pour sugar across the entire surface. Then pour off the excess.
Profiteroles are an example that the deepest pleasure come from the _______ ingredients.
simplest
