Everyone has had berries in cobblers and pies, but when people see this gratinéed dessert, their eyebrows rise in curious anticipation. The raspberries and custard are cooked briefly under the broiler, creating a delicious warm crust that only partially hides the tart berries and warm cream beneath. Once you learn this technique, you can use it with other berries, or winter, a gratin made with sautéed apples or pears with dried fruit is delicious, too. Choose an attractive dish that can go from oven to table.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, bring the milk to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl, and then whisk in 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and is a pale yellow color. Slowly whisk in the hot milk, at first a few tablespoons at a time, and then more quickly. Return the mixture to the stove, and cook over medium heat, alternating between a whisk and a rubber spatula, until the pastry cream thickens to a puddinglike consistency.
Step 2
Remove from the stove, and stir in the butter and salt.
Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to keep it from forming a skin. Poke a few holes in the plastic to let the heat escape. Cool in the refrigerator.
Step 4
When the custard has cooled, fold in the crème fraîche.
Step 5
Preheat the broiler.
Step 6
Toss the raspberries with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and scatter half of them on the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin dish. Spoon the custard into the dish, and scatter the rest of the berries on top. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the top, and pass under the broiler for about 7 minutes, until bubbling and gratinéed on top.
Step 7
Serve the gratin at the table with a big serving spoon.
