Best Lavender Custard Recipes

LAVENDER GALAKTOBOUREKO (CUSTARD-FILLED PHYLLO)

Steps:

• To clarify butter, place in a small saucepan, and melt over medium heat until bubbling. Remove pan from heat, and cool, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spoon, carefully skim the milky foam from the top of the butter, and discard. Carefully pour the skimmed butter into another bowl, leaving behind the milk solids and discarding; set clarified butter aside.
• To make syrup, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir in honey. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in brandy, lemon juice, orange juice, and zest; set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-by-8-inch Pyrex or metal baking dish. Heat milk in a medium saucepan until hot but not boiling. Add lavender flowers, cover, and let steep about20 minutes. Strain and return milk to saucepan. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup sugar and semolina into milk. Place over medium-low heat, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs by hand, or in an electric mixer until pale and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Quickly pour the eggs into the semolina mixture, stirring constantly. Let mixture cool before assembling pastry.
• Layer 8 sheets of phyllo pastry in baking dish, brushing with clarified butter between each layer and overhanging the edge of the baking dish. Spread semolina mixture over the phyllo, and top with 6 more sheets of phyllo, brushing with butter between each sheet. Fold over the edges of phyllo, and brush top with butter. Cut 2 sheets of phyllo into shreds and toss in a bowl with some of the butter until coated. Sprinkle over top of pastry. Bake until phyllo is golden brown and filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven, and immediately pour 1/4 cup of cooled syrup over the top, making sure it is evenly distributed. Let cool, and serve, if desired, with remaining syrup.

ROASTED NECTARINE CUSTARD CAKE, NECTARINE CARPACCIO, LAVENDER HONEY BRULEE AND CITRUS CRACKER DOUGH ROUNDS

Steps:

• Nectarine Custard Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cream sugar, butter and lemon zest together. Add flour then egg yolks and slowly add roasted nectarine paste and milk in thin stream to prevent lumps and/or mix to form a paste. Whip egg whites to soft peaks and carefully fold into above mixture using a rubber spatula. Pour mixture into muffin tins or similar size ceramic dishes that have been brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with granulated sugar and bake in a water bath for approximately 35 minutes at 325 degrees F. Unmold while still warm, let cool then set in refrigerator. (See Cook's Note)
• Nectarine Carpaccio: Bring water, sugar, and scraped vanilla bean seeds to a boil, remove from heat, and let cool to body temperature. Shave nectarine using a mandolin or other similar tool and place in the cooled syrup. Let sit for approximately 2 to 4 hours.
• Lavender Honey Brulee: Bring milk, cream, and scraped vanilla seeds to a boil. Mix yolks and honey with a whisk. Add hot liquid slowly at first to avoid cooking the yolks. Cook the mixture until temperature reaches 185 degrees F. Immediately strain into a clean bowl and (sprinkle gelatin in 1/2 ounce of cold water and let it sit until gel is formed), add gelatin then white chocolate. Cool quickly over an iced water bath then pour into an 8-inch square container. Set in refrigerator.
• Citrus Cracker Dough rounds: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Sift together flour and confectioners' sugar. Make a well and add in the egg and orange zest. Mix until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Roll out on board until you can see through the dough. Using different size round cutters, make a unique design. Place on aluminium foil that you have crushed up and let dry. Bake at 325 degrees F. until it is golden. Let rest until cool.
• Assembly and Suggested Serving: Place the Nectarine Custard Cake off center in dish. Cut the brulee into rounds that are the same size of the cake. Sprinkle top of the brulee with granulated sugar and with blowtorch caramelize the sugar. Place on top of the custard cake. Put a few slices of drained nectarine carpaccio on top of the brulee and place citrus crackers up against the Nectarine Custard Cake. Garnish with fresh lavender.

LAVENDER CUSTARD

Steps:

• Combine cream, milk, honey, sugar, salt and lavender flowers (or buds) in double boiler.
• Cook for 10 minutes over hot simmering water, stir frequently.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add 1/2 cup of custard to the yolks, mixing well.
• Return yolks mixture to double boiler and stir until thickens. Remove from heat.
• Strain custard to remove lavender and put in a bowl. Put waxed paper across custard to cover and prevent skin from forming.
• Chill until set and before serving, add whipped cream folding into custard.