Lychee & Osmanthus Honeycomb Custard with Candied Petals

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the custard: In a saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream, milk, and dried osmanthus flowers over medium-low heat. Do not boil. Let it steep for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the flowers. Set aside.

   ~20 min
2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, honey, and cornstarch until well combined and slightly pale.

   ~3 min
3. 3

   Gradually temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly whisking in about half of the warm osmanthus-infused cream. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream.

   ~5 min
4. 4

   Cook the custard over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Do not let it boil.

   ~10 min
5. 5

   Strain the custard into a clean bowl to ensure a smooth texture. Stir in the prepared lychees.

   ~2 min
6. 6

   Pour the custard into individual ramekins. Place the ramekins in a larger baking dish and carefully pour hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins (water bath).

   ~5 min
7. 7

   Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard is just set but still has a slight wobble in the center.

   ~40 min
8. 8

   Remove from the oven and let the custards cool in the water bath for 30 minutes. Then, remove the ramekins from the water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

   ~30 min
9. 9

   Prepare the honeycomb: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a clean saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, honey, and golden syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.

   ~10 min
10. 10

    Bring the mixture to a boil and cook without stirring until it reaches 150°C (300°F) on a candy thermometer. This will take approximately 5-8 minutes.

    ~8 min
11. 11

    Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble up vigorously. Quickly pour the foaming mixture onto the prepared parchment paper.

    ~1 min
12. 12

    Let the honeycomb cool completely until hardened. Once cool, break it into small pieces.

    ~60 min
13. 13

    Prepare the candied petals: Gently whisk the egg white in a small bowl until slightly frothy. Brush each edible flower petal with a thin layer of egg white.

    ~5 min
14. 14

    Dip each brushed petal into the powdered sugar, coating lightly. Place the sugared petals on a piece of parchment paper and let them air dry for at least 1 hour until firm. You can also very gently press them with a rolling pin to flatten if needed.

    ~60 min
15. 15

    To serve, unmold the chilled custards onto serving plates or serve directly in the ramekins. Garnish generously with broken honeycomb pieces and candied flower petals.

    ~2 min