Caramelized maple pots de crème

Instructions

• Pour the maple syrup into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the maple syrup until it is thick, has turned a deeper amber color, has very slow moving bubbles, and smells strongly of caramel, about 7-10 minutes. The syrup will bubble up significantly so you may need to whisk periodically to bring the bubbling down and be able to see the liquid underneath better. The high volume of bubbles should reduce to a few large, slow bubbles when the maple syrup is ready and you’ll be able to tell when the smell shifts–when it smells very caramely, almost like it’s on the cusp of burning, it’s ready to take it off the heat.
• Slowly pour in some of the heavy cream, being careful at the very beginning, as it will sputter in the hot maple. Whisk to incorporate and return the mixture to low heat. Whisk in the rest of the cream, milk, and brewed espresso or espresso powder until any caramel that solidified has re-melted and the mixture is steamy and starting to simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 300F and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, and salt. Then while constantly and vigorously whisking, very slowly stream in a little bit of the cream mixture. Keep whisking, and continue to slowly stream until about half the cream mixture is added. Then you can add the rest more quickly, continuing to whisk to ensure the eggs don’t cook. Skim foam off the surface of the mixture using a spoon.
• Set up a roasting pan with 6-8 ramekins or oven-safe coffee cups or other small cups. Ladle the mixture into the ramekins until it’s evenly distributed across all of them. Pour the water from the kettle into the roasting pan until it is half-way up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the roasting pan with foil and place in the center rack of the oven.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes (timing will depend on the size of your custard cups/ramekins, and some may take even longer than this) until the custard is set around the edges but jiggles slightly in the center when you nudge the cup. To test the jiggle, I found it helpful to remove one cup from the dish and nudge it on the counter. Once ready, remove the roasting pan from the oven and let set for 10 minutes. Then remove the custard cups, let cool down a little bit more, cover each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least two hours, or until fully set.
• Serve chilled, on their own or with the almond nougatine described below on top. Pots de creme will keep in the refrigerator covered for about 3 days.
• Make the nougatine (optional)
• Place the sliced almonds in a small saucepan over medium low heat, tossing occasionally until toasted and light golden brown. Set aside.
• Grease a baking sheet with a neutral cooking spray or use a paper towel to grease with canola oil. In a small saucepan, add the sugar, maple syrup, and water. Place on medium heat and stir a few times to help dissolve the sugar. Then stop stirring and just swirl the pan regularly until the sugar starts to caramelize and turns a light to medium amber color. Add in the almonds and stir vigorously with a spoon. You can leave on the heat for another minute or so while stirring to darken the caramel if needed. Immediately pour out onto the baking sheet in a thin later–it will just form a little pile in the middle of the sheet. Let cool until hardened and then transfer the nougatine to a cutting board and chop finely.