It was my turn to host NYE this year. I had a spectacular feast of wasabi lump eggs, oysters on the half shell, shrimp, homemade egg rolls, crocodile steak in green coconut curry, and lovely French cheeses. It was a fusion of cultures within each course.. a perfect representation of this year. To top it off, I wanted something beautiful.. and no.. no Buche. I'm not a buche type of girl.
After researching a bit on different traditions, I found that it brings good fortune to eat round things on NYE and New Year's Day. In the dessert section, it is often round cakes. Pie is round.. right? I am a pie type of girl.. but what?
I finally settled on something simple.. a Parisian Flan. Alone, it is an everyday type of dessert.. but I decided to lace it up in a ruby crusted corset to make it sexy enough for the occasion.
Round fruits are also signs of good fortune.. and pomegranate fits right into that category. Plus, it makes me think of precious rubies scattered all over my plate.
I also learned that eating pomegranate seeds promotes fertility.. hmm... interesting.
One never knows what the year to come has in store for us. I never in my life would have imagined living the events that happened in this past year.
Life is Beautiful
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
shortcrust:
100g (3.5oz) butter, cubed
100g (3.5oz) buckwheat flour
125g (4.4oz) flour
pinch salt
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 packet vanilla sugar
2 Tbsp cane sugar
1 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg yolk
5 cL (approx 2 floz) water
Use the method, then pre-bake for 10 minutes at 190°C
Filling:
75cL milk
20 cL cream
70g (2.5oz) cornstarch
4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
90g (3.2oz) cane sugar
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
30g (1.1oz) butter butter
seeds from 1 pomegranate
handful chopped candied ginger
Topping:
seeds from 1 pomegranate
drizzle of pomegranate molasses
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk part of the milk with the cornstarch until evenly dissolved, then beat the rest of the milk, eggs, sugar, fresh ginger, and salt until even without lumps.
2. Pour the mixture into a pot and heat on medium high on the stovetop. Whisk continually and the mixture will thicken.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, pomegranate seeds, vanilla, and candied ginger.
After researching a bit on different traditions, I found that it brings good fortune to eat round things on NYE and New Year's Day. In the dessert section, it is often round cakes. Pie is round.. right? I am a pie type of girl.. but what?
I finally settled on something simple.. a Parisian Flan. Alone, it is an everyday type of dessert.. but I decided to lace it up in a ruby crusted corset to make it sexy enough for the occasion.
Round fruits are also signs of good fortune.. and pomegranate fits right into that category. Plus, it makes me think of precious rubies scattered all over my plate.
I also learned that eating pomegranate seeds promotes fertility.. hmm... interesting.
One never knows what the year to come has in store for us. I never in my life would have imagined living the events that happened in this past year.
Life is Beautiful
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
shortcrust:
100g (3.5oz) butter, cubed
100g (3.5oz) buckwheat flour
125g (4.4oz) flour
pinch salt
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 packet vanilla sugar
2 Tbsp cane sugar
1 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg yolk
5 cL (approx 2 floz) water
Use the method, then pre-bake for 10 minutes at 190°C
Filling:
75cL milk
20 cL cream
70g (2.5oz) cornstarch
4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
90g (3.2oz) cane sugar
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
30g (1.1oz) butter butter
seeds from 1 pomegranate
handful chopped candied ginger
Topping:
seeds from 1 pomegranate
drizzle of pomegranate molasses
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk part of the milk with the cornstarch until evenly dissolved, then beat the rest of the milk, eggs, sugar, fresh ginger, and salt until even without lumps.
2. Pour the mixture into a pot and heat on medium high on the stovetop. Whisk continually and the mixture will thicken.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, pomegranate seeds, vanilla, and candied ginger.
4. Pour the mixture into the pre-backed shortcrust and bake for 40 minutes at 180°C 350°F.
5. Let cool! This step is important. You want it to be chilled or at room temperature. The chilling can be done in the fridge.
To serve, cut a slice and spoon some fresh pomegranate seeds onto it. I love the look of fresh pomegranate seeds.. it's studded with rubies!
Then to make it extra fancy, drizzle some of that sexy pomegranate molasses onto the plate.
My artistic father would be proud of this creation.
The result is a mixture of textures and tastes.. sweet, sour, crunchy, nutty, spicy. It is the perfect jewel for a perfect end to the most incredible year I've lived since being in France.
Happy New Year to all!
My artistic father would be proud of this creation.
The result is a mixture of textures and tastes.. sweet, sour, crunchy, nutty, spicy. It is the perfect jewel for a perfect end to the most incredible year I've lived since being in France.
Happy New Year to all!
We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.
ReplyDeleteCharles R. Swindoll