BLOOD ORANGE AND CARDAMOM CUSTARD CUPS

Serves 4

This riff on banana pudding layers blood orange custard, Nilla Wafers and blood orange slices, with warm cardamom adding a lovely floral note. The candied blood oranges make for a beautiful garnish, but the custard cups will still be delicious without them. You’ll also need a piping bag and ¼-inch French star tip to decorate, though you could also simply spoon whipped cream on top.

CANDIED BLOOD ORANGES (OPTIONAL)

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 2 blood oranges, edges trimmed and cut into 1⁄8-inch slices

BLOOD ORANGE AND CARDAMOM CUSTARD

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

• 4 eggs yolks

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• Zest of 1 blood orange

• 1⁄3 cup blood orange juice

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

FOR ASSEMBLY

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 56 Nilla Wafers

• 3 small blood oranges, edges trimmed and skin peeled

• 2 slices Candied Blood Oranges, quartered (optional)

• Edible gold (optional)

• Blood orange zest

Make the Candied Blood Oranges: In a medium saucepan, on medium to high heat, add the water and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the blood orange slices. Using a rubber spatula, separate them so they are not sitting on top of each other.

Boil the mixture for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and set to the side.

Using tongs, gently remove each blood orange slice, draining off excess liquid, and place it on the wire rack. Make sure the blood orange slices don’t touch each other. (You can pour the remaining liquid in a bottle and store in the fridge as a simple syrup for cocktails.)

Let the slices dry out overnight in a cool place. The next day, flip the slices and rest overnight again.

Store the slices in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to a month.

Make the Blood Orange and Cardamom Custard: Ina medium saucepan, on medium heat, add the heavy cream and ground cardamom. Warm for about 3 to 4 minutes.

In a medium bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and blood orange zest. Whisk with a balloon whisk vigorously for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks pale yellow and is ribbon-like in texture. Add blood orange juice and whisk until well combined.

Temper the egg yolk mixture: Add about 1⁄3 cup of the warm heavy cream into the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Repeat twice.

Add the egg mixture back into the heavy cream in the saucepan and keep whisking for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium to low heat. When it’s done, the mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula.

Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into another bowl for a smooth custard. Add the vanilla extract and whisk until combined.

Cover with plastic wrap, touching the custard directly to prevent a skin from forming, and place in the fridge for 4 hours, or up to overnight.

To assemble: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk for about 1½ minutes at high speed until stiff peaks form. When the whisk is inverted, the peak should stay.

Place half of the whipped cream into a piping bag, fitted with a French star tip. Place it in the fridge until ready to use.

Put the blood orange custard from the fridge into a medium bowl. Add the remaining whipped cream into the custard and fold it in until combined.

Supreme the blood oranges, cutting them into slices with no pitch or membrane.

Place 36 Nilla Wafers in a plastic bag, close it, and using a rolling pin, beat the bag to break up the wafers into fine crumbs. Place about a tablespoon aside for garnish. Distribute the crumbs evenly among four 8-ounce glasses.

Scoop about ¼ cup of custard into each glass. Use the back of a spoon or a small rubber spatula to smooth the top. Then layer about 5 Nilla Wafers in each glass. Add a thin, even layer of blood orange segments on top. Fill the rest of the glasses with more custard. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula.

Place the glasses in the fridge and cover with a tray. (If you use plastic wrap here, you’ll disturb the smoothness of the top of the custards.) Set for about 6 hours.

Decorate and garnish: When ready to serve, take the piping bag of cream out of the fridge and pipe the whipped cream on top of the custard. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top of the whipped cream. Garnish each cup with 2 of the quartered Candied Blood Orange slices, edible gold and blood orange zest.