For how much I love making my own food, I rarely do it while at school. Something about sharing one kitchen with 300 other girls just isn't all that appealing to me. This was one of the three times I made it down there this semester, and man was it worth it.
I made these custard cups way back in October when my boyfriend and I celebrated 6 months. 2 months later, I am finally posting the recipe (yay for Christmas break). These cups are extremely rich, so it's hard to eat a lot. Yet at the same time they are so good, so it's hard to stop. They are nice because you can make them one day and eat them later, or save them for a week in the fridge. Either way, they taste delicious!
The original recipe, comes from Green Kitchen Stories. They made the cups with almond butter, but in order to make them more boyfriend-friendly I substituted it with peanut butter. He still didn't fully buy into them, but I liked it so much I finished his off. I keep telling myself that one day I'll get him to enjoy food that doesn't come from a package.
The key to successfully making these is keeping the egg from coagulating. Coagulating. Don't worry, I had to look this word up too. Basically, keep the eggs from turning into a clumped solid. There are a couple of steps that are necessary in order to do this. 1. Don't use the egg whites! They turn solid easier than the yolks when heated. If you have ever made any type of custard, you know this. 2. Pour the hot milk mixture over the eggs slowly, while continuously stirring. 3. Bake the cups in a pan filled with hot water, this helps them heat more slowly, allowing everything to heat equally.
When baking these, I used mason jars. I'm a poor college student after all, so that was al I could find in my dorm room. They worked perfectly fine and were super cute. Any small glass dish will work!
Makes 3-4 servings
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
2 organic egg yolks, room temperature
2 tbsp honey
1 pinch sea salt
3 1/2 oz /100 g dairy-free dark chocolate (minimum 70%), coarsely chopped
Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
2 organic egg yolks, room temperature
2 tbsp honey
1 pinch sea salt
3 1/2 oz /100 g dairy-free dark chocolate (minimum 70%), coarsely chopped
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Whisk together egg yolks, honey and sea salt in a medium sized mixing bowl.2. Heat coconut milk, vanilla extract, and peanut butter to a low simmer, stirring to make sure the peanut butter completely dissolves. This can be done on the stove (but I cheat and use the microwave).
3. Remove the milk from the heat and add dark chocolate and stir to make sure it melts into the milk. Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture over the eggs while constantly whisking. This is important to prevent the eggs from coagulating.
4. Place 3-4 oven-proof small ramekins, glasses or cups inside a deep baking pan and fill the pan up with hot water. Pour the custard into the cups and carefully place the baking pan on a rack inside the oven.
5. Bake until the center is almost set, about 30 minutes (custards will firm as they cool). Let cool completely and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
