Garlic custards
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Mist the insides of four 6-ounce ramekins with the spray. The custards will cook in a hot water bath, so place the ramekins inside a baking dish and set aside. (A hot water bath, sometimes called a bain-marie, is the preferred method for cooking custard. The hot water helps the custard cook evenly and come out creamy.)
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the half-andhalf, salt, and white pepper, increase the heat to medium, and bring just to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to steep for 30 minutes. Strain into a small bowl.
- Whisk together the eggs and yolks in a large bowl until the whites and yolks are blended. Add the warm half-and-half mixture to the yolk mixture, pouring in a slow, steady stream and whisking constantly.
- Divide the egg mixture among the prepared ramekins. Pour enough very hot tap water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Carefully rotate the baking dish 180 degrees and bake until the custards are nearly set and slightly jiggly in the center, about 15 minutes more. Remove the ramekins from the water and transfer to a rack to cool for 5 minutes.
- Working with one custard at a time, run a thin knife around the inside edge of the ramekin to loosen the custard. Place a soup bowl over the ramekin and invert the custard into the bowl. Ladle warm soup around the warm custards and serve immediately, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano curls shaved from the wedge with a vegetable peeler and a few chive blossoms.