Author's Notes: These custards are a creamy, delightful dessert with fresh berries as a bonus (that makes these healthy, right?).

Lemon Custard with Fresh Berries Print Recipe

This recipe can make six 4oz Ramekins or Espresso Cups.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups Half and Half
  • 6 Egg Yolks
  • 1 Lemon
  • ⅔ cup Granulated Sugar
    Garnish:
  • Raspberries, Blackberries to top

Preparation:

  1. Peel the skin of the lemon into wide strips of zest. Then, in a heavy-bottomed 2qt sauce-pan on medium heat, add the half and half and lemon zest. Stir occasionally until just beginning to bubble. Make sure the mixture does not come to a full boil or the cream may curdle. The idea is to infuse the mixture with the lemon flavor, not fully cook the milk. Turn off the heat and let cool about 20-30 minutes.
  2. While the half and half is cooling, prepare your pressure cooker by adding the minimum amount of water and set it aside. Place trivet and steamer basket inside the pressure cooker.
  3. In a mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar, whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Then, when the half and half has cooled, remove the lemon peels. Slowly add half and half to the egg yolk mixture. Fold together the half and half and egg yolks until fully incorporated but do not whip - you don’t want to add air or the surface of your custards will come out bubbly.
  4. Next, pour the mixture slowly through a strainer into a spouted container (we used a 4 cup OXO measuring cup). Place your cups or ramekins into the pressure cooker inside the steamer basket. Pour custard mixture into cups or ramekins and cover with foil.
  5. If you can’t fit all the ramekins or cups in one layer, try adding a second layer if you have enough head space. Otherwise, cook the remaining custards separately. We did two batches in our 6qt Zavor multicooker.
  6. Close and lock the pressure cooker. Select high pressure and calculate 10 minutes cooking time for 4oz ramekins or cups and only 5 minutes cooking time for 2-3oz espresso cups at HIGH pressure. We used small 8oz coffee cups filled halfway and cooked them for 10 minutes.
  7. When time is up, open the pressure cooker using the Natural Release method - turn off multicooker and allow pressure to naturally dissipate. Natural release takes about 10 minutes.
  8. Open the pressure cooker and carefully lift out the custards. Open the first cup and jiggle it a bit. It should be nearly set, but not liquid - they will solidify further when chilled. Remove the custards and leave to cool uncovered for about 30-45 minutes.
  9. If you have additional custards to cook, wait until the pressure releases from the first batch and cook the second batch in the same fashion.
  10. Once the custards are cooled, cover each cup in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to chill.
  11. Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy.