Golden Cashew Cream

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the cashew-infused milk. In a saucepan, lightly toast 150 g of unsalted cashews over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant. Add 500 ml of whole milk, bring to a simmer, cover and let infuse off the heat for 30 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing well to extract all the liquid.

Step 2

Make brown butter. In the same saucepan, melt 40 g of unsalted butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until it turns hazelnut-colored and releases a toasted aroma — about 3 minutes. Remove immediately from heat to prevent burning. Pour into a bowl and let cool. This step adds an incomparable aromatic depth to the cream.

Step 3

Prepare the cream base. In a large bowl, whisk 4 whole eggs with 120 g of brown sugar and 60 g of honey until the mixture is homogeneous and slightly frothy. Add the strained cashew milk, 200 ml of heavy cream, the cooled brown butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of fleur de sel. Whisk gently to combine without creating too many air bubbles. Strain through a fine sieve for a perfectly smooth texture.

Step 4

Pour the mixture into 6 buttered ramekins arranged in a baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins (bain-marie). Bake at 150°C (preheated oven) for 30 to 35 minutes. The creams should be set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center — they will finish setting in the fridge. Carefully remove from the water bath and let cool to room temperature.

Step 5

Refrigerate the creams for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the decoration: in a small pan, melt 30 g of sugar with a splash of water to make a clear caramel. Add 50 g of whole cashews and toss quickly to coat. Spread on a sheet of parchment paper and let cool. Coarsely chop with a knife.

Step 6

When serving, take the creams out of the refrigerator 5 minutes ahead. Generously sprinkle each ramekin with caramelized cashew pieces just before serving so they stay crunchy. Add a pinch of fleur de sel on top to enhance the flavors. Serve as is or with a small shortbread cookie for an extra crunchy touch.