Happy Holidays!! Ginger Custard with sugared Ginger Shreds ~ 辛薑風味布丁佐糖薑絲

While I was organizing my bookshelves for the holidays, I came across an old issue of Elle à la Table food magazine where it featured a holiday dessert special using ginger. It immediately reminded me of the caramel ginger mousse cake I adopted from this special. I remember that it was so delicious that I decided to try the custard recipe so I bookmarked it but forgotten about it when I was occupied by something else until I came across it again.

You see, I have a thing with desserts, cakes or pastries made using spices and herbs because I think they make cakes tastier and give pastries a kick to make something taste good to taste fabulous. However, many (maybe just my friends) think that spices and herbs are reserve for cooking only and couldn’t link them to sweets. You’ll be surprise how well it goes. Try it for yourself if you have doubts!



Not sure if it was being set in the fridge, I felt that I was biting into a jelly kind of texture at 1st bite but then it melted right on the tip of my tongue! Suddenly it was bursting with this exotic ginger aroma right inside of my mouth. It wasn’t spicy or anything but it has prominent ginger flavor. The custard was only lightly sweetened so you can add however much syrup that you need. So creamy!!! Not as light as a mousse but as silky as a crème brulee. I think you’ll like it =)




Oh, although I served it flipped over and out of the mould, you can bake it in cute heatproof glass jars and give as gifts. I boxed them up in small cake boxes and tie with baker’s twine or ribbon. Makes it more special that it takes a form of a verrine. Quite popular I must say!

Ginger Custard with sugared Ginger Shreds
Serve 4 (5oz/150ml cups)

580ml heavy cream
60g fresh ginger, peeled, sliced
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
4tsp granulated sugar
4tsp cornstarch
3 crystallized sugar rounds, cut into shreds
Some butter for ramekins

Lightly smash the peeled ginger slices with a rolling pin then place into a small saucepan along with the cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes so the cream will be fully infused with the ginger.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 340°F/160°C. Butter the ramekins (I used the heatproof custard glasses.); set aside.

Strain the ginger cream mixture through a fine sieve into a big measuring cup. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until blended. Add the hot cream little by little, whisking as you go until all is incorporated (never stop whisking or the eggs will scramble). Strain the mixture through a fine sieve again into a big measuring cup with spout and skim away any foam on top. Put the ramekins in a roasting pan then pour boiling water into the pan to about halfway up the side of the ramekins. Fill the ramekins evenly with the cream mixture. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until set. Remove ramekins from hot water bath and let cool. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate until set.

Just before serving, using a small knife, run along the inside of the ramekin once then place it in a bowl of hot water to warm and loosen the bottom. Flip it over onto a serving plate. Repeat with all ramekins. Pour the warm syrup over the custard, sprinkle with sugar and garnish with ginger shreds. Serve immediately.

Caramelized Serving Syrup
125ml water
125ml granulated sugar

Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Turn it down to low heat when sugar completely melted and continue to boil until it turns to light amber color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.




整理書櫃的時候翻到一本舊的日文版Elle à la Table ﹐看到以薑為主題的節日甜點特集。記得很久以前製作過特集中的薑香焦糖慕斯﹐賣相及味道都很讚﹐還有另一款的甜點也在我的必試清單中不過後來忘了直到再看到這雜誌為止。

我一直很愛用香料製作的甜點﹐因為往往給人意想不到味道上的驚喜。像薑﹐很多人對它的認知限於它是烹調上的大配角﹐很難將它和糕點這些做聯想。以它為主角味道確會很搶﹐但是用來調味卻很出色呢。

不知是布丁因為放冰箱冷藏凝固的關係﹐第一口很Q﹐但瞬間就化在舌尖﹐跟著口腔充沛著薑的香氣﹐足以對嗅覺產生刺激但味覺上並不過於強烈﹐剛剛好。很綿密濃醇﹐很充實的口感﹐頓時讓人有滿滿的幸福感。布丁只用了少量的砂糖來調味﹐所以定要跟糖漿一起吃﹐你可根據個人口味調甜度。這個布丁本來是倒扣脫模後享用的﹐可我另製作了一些連烤杯一起送人。杯裝甜點很受歡迎喔!



辛薑風味布丁佐糖薑絲
4 人份

580ml 鮮奶油
60g 生薑﹐去皮﹐切厚片
2個 雞蛋﹐L尺寸
2個 蛋黃
4茶匙 砂糖
4茶匙 玉米粉
3片 晶化糖薑片﹐切絲
適量 奶油﹐陶瓷烤杯用

將去皮切厚片的生薑用桿麵棒輕輕搗碎然後和鮮奶油一起放入小鍋裡﹐開中火加熱煮至冒泡後離火﹐蓋上鍋蓋浸泡10 – 15分鐘。同時預熱烤箱至340°F/160°C。將陶瓷烤杯抹上薄薄的奶油﹐備用。

用濾網過濾薑奶漿﹐備用。將雞蛋﹑蛋黃﹑砂糖和玉米粉倒進拌盤中﹐用打蛋器攪打至融合順滑。將薑奶漿慢慢地注入蛋糊中﹐邊倒邊攪拌﹐拌至順滑後用濾網過濾。在漿糊上方鋪上一片餐巾紙﹐輕輕地吸取掉泡沫。

將陶瓷烤杯放進有深度的烤盤裡﹐然後注入熱開水達烤杯一半的高度﹐再將漿糊倒入烤杯中至7分滿。放進預熱過的烤箱裡烘烤35 - 40分鐘。當搖晃烤杯時布丁不會抖動時即烤好了。取出待放涼﹐蓋上保鮮膜﹐然後放冰箱冷卻凝固。

享用前用小刀源著烤杯內壁輕輕刮一圈﹐再放熱水浴中溫熱10秒﹐倒扣脫模.。將放涼的糖漿淋在布丁上﹐然後撒一些砂糖再放糖薑絲點綴。

焦味糖漿
125ml 水
125ml 砂糖

將砂糖和水倒入小鍋裡﹐用中火加熱﹐待煮至砂糖完全融化後轉小火繼續煮。不時輕輕搖一下小鍋使糖漿不會煮焦﹐待煮至呈琥珀色(過程約4分鐘)離火﹐放涼備用。

I want to wish you all a merriest Christmas! May your home be filled with an abundance of friends, happiness, and fun this holiday season~