LITTLE ROCK — One: Who knew rosemary and thyme were so distinctly fantastic for baking? And two: Who knew rosemary and thyme were so easily interchangeable in all those cookies, crisps, cobblers, even flan?
Rosemary, with hints of pine and lemon, and slightly minty thyme (they're both members of the mint family) are known for pulling up the flavors of roasted meat or fish; accenting the saltiness in sauces; and defining the vegetable-garden tastes of tomatoes, peppers and onions.
But they work just as fabulously in desserts: creamy custards or "panna cotta"; buttery cookies; and pies, crisps and cobblers made with fall fruit such as apples and pears.
Like lemon zest or ginger used in baking, rosemary and thyme focus the elements in fruit that aren't sweet while tempering the sugars. But the two herbs add their own pungent, piney nuances.
Rosemary or Thyme Flan
1 1 /2 cups milk
1 1 /2 cups heavy cream
1 1 /3 cups granulated sugar, divided use
3 sprigs rosemary about 5 to 6 inches long OR a small handful of thyme sprigs (about half of a 2 /3-ounce package)
3 egg yolks
3 eggs
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, cream and 2 /3 cup sugar. Bruise sprigs of rosemary or thyme with a mallet to lightly crush them. Add herbs to milk mixture in saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Lift the cheesecloth out of the strainer, and squeeze out any remaining liquid from the herbs, then discard them.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the remaining 2 /3 cup sugar into a heavy-bottomed skillet and heat over medium heat. Shake pan so that the sugar is evenly distributed in the bottom of the pan. Tilt and move the pan around on the burner to prevent hot spots, and heat until sugar caramelizes and turns an amber color, 5 to 6 minutes.
Pour caramelized sugar evenly into the bottom of a 2-quart, round, glass baking dish. If necessary, tilt the baking dish back and forth so the bottom is evenly coated with the caramel. Allow the caramel to cool.
Whisk together egg yolks and eggs just until blended. Whisk the infused milk mixture into the eggs and strain.
Put the caramel-lined baking dish into a deep, 13-by-9-inch panand pour the egg custard mixture into the baking dish. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the pan to the level of the custard. Carefully put it in the oven.
Bake until the flan is set and the center has a slight jiggle, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool, then cover and chill overnight.
When you're ready to serve, loosen the sides of the flan with the tip of a knife or a small spatula and invert the flan onto a large serving plate. If you have a problem removing the flan, dip the baking dish into a pan of hot water to loosen the bottom and sides.
Makes 8 servings.
Rosemary or Thyme Pear Crisp
6 ripe Bartlett pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 /4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided use
1 cup flour PLUS 2 tablespoons, divided use
1 vanilla bean, split
3 /4 teaspoon baking powder
1 /2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 /2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary OR thyme
1 /2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Quarter, core and peel the pears.
Sprinkle pears with lemon juice as you go to prevent browning. Cut each quarter crosswise into 1 /4-inch-thick slices. You should have about 6 cups of sliced pears.
Once you have sliced all the pears, add 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of the flour to the pears, tossing tocoat. With the tip of a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean onto the pears and toss to coat evenly. Set them aside while you prepare the topping.
Combine the remaining 3 /4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup flour, baking powder, ground ginger, kosher salt and rosemary or thyme. Add butter and work into the dry ingredients until it is crumbly.
Spoon the pear mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over the top of the fruit. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let stand until warm before serving.
Makes 6 to 9 servings.
Food, Pages 53 on 10/31/2007