Bittersweet Tendencies & A Cause by way of Custard

 “A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.”
― Henry David Thoreau

January 11^th, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9u9mZz-o-g

Unrest in my soul, unease in my mind, under the weight of such burdening revolutions – I yearn for the  upcoming day of reckoning.  Do you ever wonder how some people can live with themselves?  I guess it must be a luxury to do as you please without care or concern for another . . . and yet so sad that our society is capable of manufacturing such an individual.  Who’s responsibility is it to “fix” such a broken spoke?  He who attempts such a task on his own undoubtedly risks his own integrity as the dubious devil infiltrates your privacy in search of weakness and vulnerability.  He does not want to be saved – he has gained too much at the expensive of others!

Torturous interference I believe is the legal jargon attributed to such action.  I like that phrase as it evokes the severity of one’s malice intent.  Good suffering at the hand of Evil – always the biblical sort of story, the righteous prevailing only in some unforeseen afterlife.  To hell with that!  The Good deserve nothing but equality of Good in the present.  Perhaps this is why I never made a “Good” catholic.

Enough with the negative, I have my kids from Job Corps over here and just finished their first culinary quiz.  I’ve trained nine individuals to date . . not exactly sure why I’m wired the way that I am.   Providing such an opportunity, a cost savings of 45k (the average culinary school expense) to underprivileged individuals expressing their interest in my profession . . . how many times have I been burned by these students?  Do they really appreciate the value of a practical education and training that better prepares them for an immediate career?  Whatever the answer is – I haven’t learned it proper nor did they even come close to passing their introductory quiz.  I mean seriously, when asked the general components of a custard they answered – an egg.  How about cream or milk?  Sugar?  I layed down the law and told them they had another two weeks to prepare for another whack at my introductory basic quiz and they both needed to pass at above 75% or I wouldn’t continue their training (and yes – I let them take the quiz together  - they still only scored 40%)

Belief has been such a pivotal subject in my life.  I must stress to remember those that have believed in me and given me the opportunities to succeed as they surely surmount those that would attempt to manipulate my natural tendencies as a free-spirit.  Giving back is just part of what it is to be a better human being . . I guess that’s why I volunteered this Saturday at the West Hollywood Elementary School.  If there is a God . . I do so hope that he has some retribution in store for me this Friday.  Good must triumph . . or this relic of a fool is gonna unfold into an entirely new mess.  As the kids couldn’t quite come up with a custard and I’m still a little bit overshadowed by a pinch of negativity it is only appropriate that I pencil out a basic recipe for bittersweet chocolate pot de crème.  Enjoy in the sinful goodness!

With Culinary Blessings,

                   Chef Scotty

Recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme

Ingredients

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch salt
• White Chocolate Whipped Cream, recipe follows
• Grated chocolate, for garnish

Directions

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water. When the chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat and let stand until completely melted.

Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, scald the cream and milk. Watch carefully as cream will boil over.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the sugar is completely dissolved. 

Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into the yolks. If you add the hot cream mixture too quickly, the egg yolks could cook and leave undesirable cooked egg particles.

Remove the melted chocolate from the stove and pour the hot cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the melted chocolate. Whisk until well combined and smooth.

Ladle the mixture into 6 (3/4-cup) ramekins. Lime the bottom of a baking pan with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place the filled ramekins in the baking dish on the towel. Pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Bake until mixture around the edges of the ramekin is firm when lightly shaken, about 35 minutes. (Baking time will vary depending on depth and width of ramekins.) The center of the Pot de Cremes may still jiggle slightly when shaken, but that is okay, it will firm up as it chills.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the baking pan, wipe dry and allow to cool. Once cooled, refrigerate until firm, about 2 to 3 hours.

To serve, spoon some White Chocolate Whipped Cream into the ramekin and garnish with some grated chocolate.

White Chocolate Whipped Cream:

2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Whip the cream in a chilled bowl to soft peaks. Fold in the cooled chocolate and beat to stiff peaks.