BAKED LEMON CUSTARD POTS – Pots de crème (poh duh KREHM) is French for baked custard. I love the sound of it. It does the dessert justice, more so than just calling them baked custard. It makes you feel like your eating something fancy and elegant. Because you are.
Pots de crème are effortless to make with an impressive outcome! Egg yolks, sugar and vanilla are whisked with warm half & half, honey and lemon zest. They take mere moments to throw together. After slow baking in a bain marie they are chilled. That’s the toughest part. Waiting for them to completely chill. So you can devour them.
They have a lighter, thinner consistency than pudding that is a pure joy to eat. So silky smooth and luscious with the sweet, distinctive taste of honey and the brightness of lemon zest in every single, savored bite. It’s like eating pure, undiluted sunshine.
BAKED LEMON CUSTARD POTS
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- the zest of 2 lemons just the yellow not the pith
- 2 cups half & half or 1 cup each whole milk and heavy cream
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large heat proof bowl whisk yolks, sugar and vanilla extract together.
- In a medium saucepan heat half & half, honey and lemon zest on low heat until honey melts, whisk well.
- Whisk a few tablespoons of half & half mixture into eggs to temper them, slowly pour the rest in, whisking the entire time.
- Put 5 small 1/2 cup-sized ramekins into a large baking pan making sure there is space between each one. Divide custard batter evenly between them. Put the pan in the oven and then carefully pour hot water (not boiling) in the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake 40-45 minutes or until custard is set in the middle. Remove from pan, cool on wire racks and chill completely before serving.