Strawberries with Crème au Grand Marnier

By Howie

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs yolks
• 11/2 cups warm milk
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbs Grand Marnier
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 2 pkg strawberries, frozen
• 3/4 cup less 2 tbs sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tb gelatin
• 2 pints fresh small strawberries
• 3/4 cup currant jelly
• Drops of lemon juice

Preparation

Step 1

1) In the container of a double boiler combine the egg yolks, sugar and warm milk. Whisk the mixture until it thickens and forms a custard.

2) Melt the gelatin in the Grand Marnier and add to the hot custard. Stir and whisk until the gelatin is well melted. Transfer the mixture to a stainless steel bowl and chill until it is almost set. Watch carefully so that the custard does not gel. Add the whipped cream and put the cream in a glass serving bowl. Chill until set.

3) About two hours before serving cover the custard with strawberries. (If berries are large, slice and place in decorative pattern).

4) Melt the currant jelly together with the remaining Grand Marnier. Puree the drained frozen berries (you may use very ripe fresh strawberries), add half of the puree to the jelly mixture, cool and spoon over strawberries. Chill the desert. Serve the remaining strawberry sauce on the side flavoured with a little lemon juice and some additional Grand Marnier or good quality Kirsch.

Other combinations:

Peach & Amaretto
Raspberry & Framboise
Oranged & Grand Marnier

6 egg yolks + 1¼ cups hot milk for custard to last 10 days

*pour gelatin into whisk; watch out for foam – not combining.
* refrigerate with whisk for 10 minutes. Whip, then store for 10 minutes again.