Cherry Cream

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the cherry coulis. Wash the cherries, stem them and pit them using a pitter or the tip of a knife. Place 250 g of cherries in a saucepan with 40 g of sugar and the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries break down and release their juice. Blend finely and strain through a fine sieve to remove the skins. Set the coulis aside.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a saucepan, heat the milk with the heavy cream until it just simmers. Meanwhile, cut the remaining 150 g of cherries in half and set them aside for decoration. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar (80 g) until the mixture is homogeneous and slightly frothy.

Step 3

Add the sifted cornstarch to the egg-sugar mixture and mix well to avoid lumps. Pour the hot milk in a steady stream while whisking vigorously. Add the bitter almond extract. Pour everything back into the saucepan and thicken over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the cream coats the spoon (about 5 minutes).

Step 4

Remove from heat, add the butter and stir until completely melted. Mix in 3 tablespoons of the reserved cherry coulis to flavor the cream and give it a lovely pink hue. Stir gently until evenly colored. Pour the cream into the 6 ramekins, filling them three-quarters full.

Step 5

Place the ramekins in a large baking dish. Pour boiling water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the ramekins for a water bath. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The creams should be set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let cool to room temperature.

Step 6

Once the creams have cooled, pour a thin layer of the remaining cherry coulis over each one. Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When serving, place a few fresh cherry halves on top and decorate with lime zest. Serve well chilled — these cherry creams are a refined dessert that will delight all palates.