Bavarian Cream

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup whipping cream

Recipe

• 1 this gelatin-based custard must be made several hours before you plan to serve it.
• 2 it's great paired with cut-up fresh strawberries, or a mixture of fruit-- or with a rich butterscotch sauce.
• 3 instructions: preparing the gelatin: sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water; stir to blend.
• 4 set aside to soften for 5 minutes.
• 5 (it won't hurt to let it sit longer.) mixing the ingredients: put the yolks in a bowl and, using a whisk or fork, stir briskly to blend.
• 6 slowly add the sugar and continue to stir until well mixed.
• 7 cooking the custard: pour the milk into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
• 8 stand right by the stove and watch for tiny milk bubbles to form around the edge of the pan.
• 9 the milk should be hot, but not boiling.
• 10 it is better to underheat than to boil.
• 11 as long as the milk is hot it will work fine.
• 12 pour the yolk/sugar mixture into the hot milk, then add the softened gelatin and stir with a large spoon or whisk to blend well.
• 13 cook, stirring slowly, but constantly for 3 or 4 minutes.
• 14 tilt the pan until you can see the bottom.
• 15 if there is a thin coat of custard on the bottom that doesn't flow as readily as the rest, it's ready.
• 16 remove from heat.
• 17 do not let the custard boil; it will be fine if you remove it too soon rather that too late.
• 18 stir in the vanilla.
• 19 pour the custard into a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or just long enough for it to begin to gel.
• 20 it should be thick but pourable.
• 21 this last step is the secret of a fabulous bavarian cream: beat the cream only until it holds soft peaks.
• 22 if the cream is too stiff, the dessert will be too firm.
• 23 fold the whipped cream into the custard.
• 24 spoon into a 2-quart mold or bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate several hours, to allow the dessert to gel.
• 25 if the bavarian cream is in a mold, turn it out onto a plate before serving.
• 26 otherwise, spoon into dessert bowls.