INGREDIENTS:Custard:
5 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup light cream
¼ cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean split in half, lengthwise
pinch of salt
Raspberry Wine Sauce:
one bottle good quality Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup sugar
8 oz. raspberry purée
4 Tbsp. crystallized ginger, finely chopped
Caramel Topping:
¼ cup granulated sugarDIRECTIONS:For custard: Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium stainless steel bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until thin ribbon is formed when whisk is lifted. In a medium stainless steel saucepan over medium heat, add scalded cream, light cream, vanilla bean and a cinnamon stick. Remove pan from heat. Slowly whisk hot cream into the beaten yolks until just blended. Return mixture to saucepan, using a wooden spoon to stir without stopping until mixture thickens and coats the back of the wooden spoon. Strain custard through a fine strainer in a large bowl; place it over ice water until cool. Spoon 1 ½ Tbsp. raspberry sauce in each of six ramekins. Sprinkle crystallized ginger over sauce. Place ramekins in freezer until sauce is frozen. Pour custard in ramekins, dividing it equally. Cook in water bath for 40-45 minutes, until the edge is set but center still quivers. Do not overbake. Custard will set completely after chilling.
Remove ramekins from water bath and let cool. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Sprinkle top of each custard evenly with granulated sugar. Place custard in a high side roasting pan. Surround ramekins with ice cubes and cold water. Place pan under broiler until sugar melts and turns to a dark amber caramel (or use a blowtorch). Serve with fresh fruit.
For raspberry wine sauce: In a stainless saucepan, bring wine and sugar to caramel stage. Remove from heat and whisk in raspberry purée. Let cool.SERVINGS:6 servingsFrom:Tonie Rapa, Pastry Chef, Rauxa, Somerville, Mass.