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8 to 24 hours ahead of time: Strain the yogurt:
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Drape a piece of cheesecloth or thin towel inside a strainer or colander.
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Place the colander over a bowl so that the strainer is suspended and does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
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Scrape the yogurt into the cheesecloth.
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Wrap the edges of the cloth around the yogurt and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
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The yogurt will lose half its volume and a greenish water will collect at the bottom of the bowl.
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Combine the yogurt, creme fraiche, and honey:
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With a rubber spatula, scrape the strained yogurt into a stainless-steel bowl.
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Add the creme fraiche and honey and whisk until the ingredients come together.
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Set aside at room temperature.
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11
Bloom the gelatin:
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In a small bowl sprinkle the gelatin over 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and set aside for 10 minutes.
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The gelatin will soak up all the water and expand into a gummy paste.
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14
Make the egg white custard (see the Note on cooking a stirred custard and testing for doneness):
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In a small heavy saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and 1/2 cup of the sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer.
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In a small bowl whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and egg whites.
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Slowly, using a ladle, whisk some of the hot milk into the egg white mixture to warm it.
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Gradually pour the warmed egg white mixture into the hot milk, whisking constantly as you pour.
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Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring continuously and scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.
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Remove from the heat and add about 1/2 cup of the cooked custard to the the gelatin and whisk until the gelatin dissolves.
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Add this small amount of custard back to the remaining custard and whisk the two together.
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22
Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer.
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23
Chill the custard over an ice bath until it comes to room temperature.
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24
Once the custard has cooled off, whisk in the yogurt and creme fraiche until thoroughly combined and smooth.
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25
Pour the custard into the molds:
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26
Pour the custard into your desired molds or dishes and tap them on the counter so that the custard settles and flattens on top.
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Refrigerate the custards for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days before serving.
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Unmold the custard:
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29
If you set the custard in a serving dish or dishes, disregard these directions.
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30
Remove the custards from the refrigerator.
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Dip a paring knife in hot water and run it around the edge of the custard, hugging the side of the mold as much as possible.
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Turn the mold upside down over a serving plate and allow the custard to invert slowly.
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33
Serving Suggestions:
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These custards can be served with a crisp wafer or cookie or some fresh seasonal fruit (raspberries, blueberries, figs, melon, peaches, pineapple, or strawberries).
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35
Many of the fruit preparations in this book work beautifully also.
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My favorite is the Rhubarb Consomme.
