Snow Eggs with Pistachio Custard and Chocolate Drizzle
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios (not dyed red, preferably raw)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 quart whole milk
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 drops almond extract
- 2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Drop nuts into boiling water and cook 2 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and transfer to a bowl of ice and water to stop cooking.
- Drain in colander again.
- Peel off skins and pat nuts dry, then spread in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan.
- Bake in middle of oven until dry and lightly toasted, about 7 minutes, then cool.
- Coarsely chop 2 tablespoons nuts and leave remaining nuts whole.
- Finely grind whole pistachios with 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor.
- Add 3 tablespoons milk and process to a paste.
- Blend in 5 tablespoons milk and transfer pistachio cream to a bowl.
- Chill, covered, 8 hours.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 3 1/2 cups milk in a deep 12-inch skillet and bring to a bare simmer (milk should steam but not bubble).
- While milk is heating, beat whites with lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks.
- Gradually beat in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, a little at a time, and beat until meringue just holds stiff peaks.
- Using an oval-shaped ice cream scoop or an oval soupspoon, form 8 meringue "eggs," gently dropping them as formed into milk mixture (keep milk at a bare simmer).
- Poach meringues until set on bottom, about 2 minutes, then carefully turn over and poach until set throughout, about 2 minutes more.
- Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plastic-wrap-lined shallow baking pan and make 8 more meringues in same manner.
- Pour poaching liquid through a very fine sieve into a large glass measure.
- Whisk together yolks, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then slowly add poaching liquid, whisking constantly.
- Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it's thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170 to 175F on an instant-read thermometer (do not boil).
- Pour custard into a metal bowl and stir in pistachio cream and almond extract.
- Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool custard, stirring occasionally.
- Pour custard through very fine sieve into another bowl, pressing on and discarding solids.
- Melt chocolate in a small metal bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
- Pour custard into 8 shallow bowls or rimmed plates and arrange meringues on top.
- Drizzle chocolate over meringues and custard and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
pistachios, sugar, milk, eggs, lemon juice, bittersweet chocolate
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/snow-eggs-with-pistachio-custard-and-chocolate-drizzle-106287 (may not work)