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Rose Geranium Cream
Bring 3 cups of cream to boiling point, add 6 freshly picked rose geranium leaves, cover closely and let stand until cold. Strain cream into a double boiler, add 3 wellbeaten egg yolks, sweeten to taste, cook and stir until cream begins to thicken. Remove before it comes to boiling point and serve ice cold.
A stirred custard flavored by infusion rather than by extract. The whole thing hinges on heat control: once the yolks are in, the mixture must thicken below a simmer or it will curdle.
- The critical pointTake the custard off the heat when it coats a spoon and reads about 175-180F on a thermometer. Boiling scrambles the yolks, and the geranium perfume also flattens with hard heat.
- Which geraniumRose geranium is Pelargonium graveolens and its scented relatives, not the hardy garden geranium. Use leaves from a plant you know has not been sprayed with anything, and rinse and dry them before steeping.
- The infusionSix leaves in 3 cups of cream is a light hand. Bruise them between your fingers before adding, and if the cold cream tastes faint after steeping, add two or three more leaves and reheat gently rather than extending the time indefinitely.
- Cooling time"Let stand until cold" presumably meant leaving the covered cream to cool at kitchen temperature. Steep for about 30 minutes off the heat, then refrigerate, covered, rather than leaving dairy out on the counter.
- CreamPeriod "cream" here is roughly modern heavy or whipping cream. Half-and-half will work but the finished custard will be noticeably thinner.
- Sweeten to tasteFor 3 cups of cream and 3 yolks, 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sugar is the usual range. Whisk it into the yolks before they meet the hot cream so it dissolves evenly.
- Yield and servingAbout 3 1/2 cups, enough for six small cups or glasses. Strain once more into the serving dishes and chill thoroughly; served cold it is a pouring custard for fruit or berries as much as a dessert on its own.