Dessert--Vanilla Bean Custard with German Sour Cherry Sauce

This recipe uses two cherry-flavored German specialties – Kirschwasser, a clear, naturally cherry-flavored schnapps – and Sauerkirschen (sour cherries). Servings: 6

Ingredients:


2 cups low-fat or skim milk
6 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Scraped seeds from ½ vanilla bean
1 teaspoon German Kirschwasser
German chocolate sprinkles
Mint leaves and fresh cherry to garnish (optional)
German Sour Cherry Sauce (recipe below)
1 cup sweetened whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F. Heat milk to a low simmer in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Stir in vanilla and Kirschwasser.

Pour custard mixture into 6 ramekins. Place ramekins in a large baking pan, and fill baking pan with water almost to ramekins' rims, for custard to bake in a water bath. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until custards are set but still quivery when shaken. Let cool, then shake on chocolate sprinkles.

Garnish also with mint leaves and fresh cherries if desired.

For a pretty presentation, ladle Sour Cherry Sauce onto 6 dessert plates, dividing evenly. Place a ramekin in center of each. Place whipped cream in a zippered plastic bag, and snip a corner to make a piping bag. Pipe dots around each plate, and drag a toothpick through dots, making them into hearts as shown. Serve.

German Sour Cherry Sauce:
1½ cups German Sauerkirschen, or sour cherries, from a jar
Place sour cherries in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher before dividing among plates.