Recipe courtesy of Gale Gand
Coconut Tarragon Custard with Grilled Pineapple
This combines tropical flavors of pineapple, coconut, and lime in a simple, cooling custard. The tarragon gives a twist of licorice flavor. Serving it with the pineapple hot off the grill gives a great temperature contrast between the hot fruit and the cold custard.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 45 min
- Prep: 25 min
- Inactive: 1 hr 10 min
- Cook: 10 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
3 1/4 cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons packed tarragon leaves
12 yolks
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into spears
Confectioners' sugar, as needed
1 lime, cut in wedges
Directions
- In a stainless steel saucepan, heat the milk with the vanilla bean and tarragon to a simmer. Let sit 5 minutes to infuse.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the cornstarch; then drizzle in the milk mixture while whisking. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve back into the pot, to remove the tarragon and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat, stir in the coconut and butter to melt it. Place in a container over an ice bath and fold it to cool.
- Once it's cold, fold in the whipped cream and spoon into dessert cups or stemmed glassware and chill.
- The custard keeps for up to 3 days, chilled and covered.
- Preheat a grill or indoor grill pan. Sprinkle the pineapple with powdered sugar and grill, turning once, until well marked. Cool slightly.
- To serve, place 1 grilled pineapple spear in the glass, sticking out, and a lime wedge to squeeze over the whole dessert.
