Some of the best maple syrup I have ever eaten in my entire life came from the Granite State of New Hampshire. During my Senate days, I helped the press secretary from Senator Judd Gregg’s office (the New Hampshire senator who retired in 2011) with a project. As a thank you, his office sent me an entire jug of New Hampshire maple syrup. It was beyond delicious! And I have never gone back to the fake stuff. Thank you, New Hampshire!
But let’s talk about maple syrup for a quick second… did you know there are more than 350 maple producers in New Hampshire who produce 90,000 gallons of maple syrup each year? The state is so well known for it’s maple syrup that there is a celebration every year in it’s honor. Hosted by the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association, the 25th Annual NH Maple Weekend will be March 21 – 22, 2020. The festivities include meeting the maple producers of New Hampshire, seeing how their operation works, enjoying free samples of fresh syrup, maple candies and confections, coffee and doughnuts, as well as a bunch of other activities.
If you’re ever in the area, the state also boasts it’s own Maple Syrup museum in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, where you can learn all about the maple sugaring process.
And now onto this recipe… New Hampshire Maple Custard. It comes from one of our favorite states cookbooks, United Tastes of America.*
If you like decadent treats that aren’t over the top sweet, this custard is for you. It’s rich and creamy with a wonderful hint of maple (do NOT use the fake stuff). It also couldn’t be easier to prepare. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s unique, will impress guests and won’t take a ton of time, give this custard a try!
New Hampshire Maple Custard
INGREDIENTS
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 TBS pure maple sugar (I used brown sugar as a substitute)
6 large egg yolks
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Fill a kettle with several cups of water and bring to a boil.
In a medium saucepan, store to combine the cream, milk, maple syrup, and maple sugar. Bring just to a simmer over medium-low heat. Do not allow to boil.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Whisk a ladle of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to warm them. Whisking constantly, pour the remaining hot cream into the warmed yolks. Strain the whole mixture through the sieve into the medium bowl.
Place six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups in a baking pan. Dividing evenly, ladle the custard into the ramekins. Very carefully pour boiling water into the bottom of the pan to reach halfway up the cups, being careful not to pour any water into the cups. Cover the whole pan with a sheet of foil. Bake in the oven until the custard is just set (there should be a 1/4-inch thick area in the center of each that is still loose), 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack (the custard will fully set as it cools). Serve custard warm or chilled.
*This recipe is shared with permission from Phaidon Press.
