CHAI POTS DE CREME

This recipe serves 6

Ingredients
For custard:
6 green cardamon pods
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half & half
1 tablespoon of chai liquid tea
1 tablespoon loose-leaf Darjeeling or Earl Grey tea
1 cinnamon stick (about an inch)broken in half
5 whole cloves
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 black peppercorns
1 egg plus 3 egg yolks
Quarter cup sugar
Quarter cup light brown sugar
zest one lemon

For Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons sugar
eighth teaspoon garam masala - Garam masala is a blend of many different dried spices
obtained from the international aisle of most supermarkets, or Indian food stores.

Method
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 13-9-2 baking dish with a dish towel. Place 6 ramekin dishes in baking dish. Set aside.

Using a a pestle and mortar pound cardamom pods to break open their shells (can use the flat side of a chef's knife) Place cream, half & half, tea,liquid chai, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamom seeds and pod in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Cover and steep 15 minutes. Strain into medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat together egg, egg yolks, sugars, lemon zest at high speed of electric mixer until mixture thickens and becomes pale gold in color.

Reduce speed to low. Slowly add infused cream to egg mixture. Divide between ramekins.
Place baking dish in oven. Pour water into baking dish until it reaches half way up sides of ramekins. Cover pan with foil. Poke a few holes in foil to allow steam to escape. Bake until custards are just set. The centers should still jiggle.

Using tongs remove ramekins from baking dish and cool on a wire rack.

Remove baking dish from oven when cool.

Transfer ramekins to refrigerator until chilled.

Just before serving: In a bowl of standing mixer, or using an electric hand-mixer, beat together heavy cream, sugar and garam masala until stiff peaks form. Spoon a dollop of spiced, whipped cream on top of each chilled custard. Serve immediately.

These are absolutely delicious and well worth the effort.