Anise Hyssop Flower Custard with Black Pansy Syrup

From: Ela Younger
Date: Sat Jan 22, 2000 10:00am

From Ari Nieminen of Firebird


Custard:
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 cup whipping cream
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 6 tablespoons anise hyssop flowers
* 2 large eggs
* 3 large egg yolks

Garnish:
* 2 cups Black Pansy Syrup (see recipe on this page)
* 6 teaspoons anise hyssop flowers
* 6 anise hyssop leaves
* 6 black pansy flowers

Combine milk and cream. Pour half of this mixture into a small sauce pan with the sugar 
and the anise hyssop flowers. Scald the mixture over low heat. Remove from heat and add 
remaining milk mixture. Stir well and set aside to cool. Cover and refrigerate 
overnight, if possible. The length of time alloted to let the anise hyssop steep in this
mixture will greatly affect the finished product.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex or aluminum pan with enough hot 
water to reach halfway up the sides of custard molds. Put this prepared bain marie into 
the oven.

In a medium-size bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks well. Add the cooled infused milk 
mixture. Combine well and pour equal amounts into 6 clean, dry custard molds.

Bake custard in the bain marie for 25 to 30 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a 
small knife into the center of a custard. If clean when removed, it is properly cooked. 
Use a pair of tongs to remove custard molds from the bain marie to a cooling rack. Allow
to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove the custard by running a small knife around the edge of the mold and inverting 
directly onto a service plate. Pour the syrup over the top of the custard. Decorate each
plate with 1 teaspoon anise hyssop flowers, 1 anise hyssop leaf and black pansy flower.

Makes 6 servings.

(Approximate values per serving: 761 calories,
20 g fat, 226 mg cholesterol, 145 g carbohydrates,
0 fiber, 5 g protein, 58 mg sodium, 23 percent calories
from fat.)

Black Pansy Syrup

(From Edible Flowers, by Cathy Barash )

* 1 cup black (or dark purple) pansy petals, loosely packed
* 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
* 1 cup water

Put pansy petals into a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add 1/3 cup sugar. 
Grind pansies into sugar by pulsing 4 times, then process for about 30 seconds.

Combine sugar, pansy/sugar mixture and water in a small, non-aluminum saucepan. Over 
medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir once and reduce the heat to low. Allow to
simmer and cook to a syrup stage. (If you have a candy thermometer, do not allow the 
mixture to go over 220 degrees). When the mixture reaches a syrup stage, remove it from 
the heat and pour into a heat-proof container. Allow to cool.

The rich dark color is a wonderful contrast when poured over vanilla ice cream. This 
recipe was created to be served with Anise Hyssop Custard (see recipe this page).

Makes 1 cup of syrup.

Approximate values per 2-tablespoon serving: 194 calories,
0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 50 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 0 protein,
1 mg sodium, 0 percent calories from fat.)

Source:Edible flowers Desserts and Drinks by Cathy Wilkinson Barash