Luscious Lemon: TWD

Creamy lemon custard is meant to be a team player. This week's dessert is selected by TWD baker Bridget from The Way the Cookie Crumbles. Spoon desserts are a perfect complement to contrasting textures. Lemon-clove flavor, topped with berries and a tuille. Cereal (Cinnamon Puffins), also make for good crunch. Try sorbets too.


East to prepare, and with a minimum of ingredients, milk, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and cloves, the milk is first heated below the boiling point and steeped with zest and cloves to intensify the flavor. In a separate measuring cup, the eggs and sugar are whisked together, tempered with milk, strained, then combined with milk. Baked in a water bath, then to-rest, and chill-to firm.

Custards, flans, puddings, creme brulee, pot de creme all share the same type of ingredients, except for varying proportions of milk and/or heavy cream, eggs and/or the addition of yolks and technique. At it's simplest, as Dorie suggested, it's an after-school dessert. A bit of nourishment for the middle of the day.

I Am An Island: TWD

An island of meringue gently poached in milk and plated in a sea of creme anglaise. Floating along with other islands this is one dessert that is made to impress. TWD baker, Shari Whisk: a food blog hosts this selection.

Using room temperature egg whites, start slowly to get the foamy bubbles going, add sugar, whip up to the meringues stage. Form the islands by taking two spoons and with a motion of scooping and rotating, ovals are created. Poach in the simmering milk. Drain and chill until ready.

Reserve, strain and heat to scald the milk for the creme anglaise. Patience in stirring. Ribbon stage for the yolks, then a bit of the scalding milk is added to temper the eggs. Back to the pot with a gentle flame and more stirring. Figure 8 motion, until liquid coats the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes...no texting, no phone. Strain this pouring custard and once made is poured into the serving dish. The meringue is gently placed on top and then drizzled with caramel. A classic composed dessert. Very retro (my mother-in-law always made for her father-in-law) and very good.

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Creme Brulee has got to be one of the most popular up-market restaurant desserts. This elegant custard is offered by Mari of Mevrouw Cupcake who is a dedicated baker with the Tuesdays With Dorie group.


Enjoy with a glass of champagne or something bubbly.


Candied orange peel is scattered across the bottom of the ramekin. This citrus flavor is added to the crunch of the caramel and the smoothness of the custard.


Vanilla paste creates flecks and flavor in the custard. It's o.k. to be shallow. Not too much custard to get in the way with the crack of the caramel.


Although not baked in the usual water bath, texture is still smooth and creamy. An even dusting of sugar before the flame.