Saffron and orange blossom pots de creme

I keep on making macarons, therefore I keep on having spare egg yolks. One batch of macarons requires about 3 egg whites and I make on average 2 batches a week. Pots de creme require 6 egg yolks. Perfect math! (sigh of relief) This leaves me with one batch of pots de creme a week then.

Of course, I am not one to choose the simple route (vanilla pots de creme? No Sir!). I need to add some Oumph to my dessert. So here it comes: Saffron and orange blossom pots de creme. 

If you thought Saffron could only be used in fish dishes and paella, you have something else coming. As for orange blossom water, it has an aroma and flavor, which I associate with my childhood. Mom always added a drop of orange blossom water in her waffle, crepe or madeleine batters, and when I had trouble sleeping, even in my teenage years, she would prepare for me a cup of warm milk sweetened with honey and flavored with orange blossom water. Very French. (Although I am under the crazy impression that Americans find the idea of drinking hot milk repulsive - go figure that one out...)

All rambling aside, I love this recipe:

Saffron & Orange Blossom Pots de Creme: (Pots de Creme au Safran et a l'Eau de Fleur d'Oranger)

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup honey

1 pinch of saffron

1 or 2 tablespoon orange blossom water

Preheat your oven to 350F. 
In a heavy sauce pan, stir together the heavy cream, milk and saffron. Bring to a simmer on medium high heat, stirring often to help the saffron release its flavor and color. Turn the heat off and keep the mixture warm, giving time to the saffron to steep some more.
On the side, combine the honey to the egg yolks. Add in the orange blossom water.

Using a small sieve to catch the saffron, pour a small quantity of warm cream on the egg  yolks (to temper them!). Stir vigorously, then add in the rest of the flavored cream.
Fill up 4 to 6 ramekins, which you have pre-set in a water bath/ roasting pan filled with water. The water level should reach half way up each ramekin. Bake 30 minutes on the middle oven rack.
Let the dishes cool completely and refrigerate a few hours before eating.

Before....

...and after baking

You could then choose to add a spoon of granulated sugar to the top of each dish and caramelize in the broiler for a few minutes (or use a butane torch). And voila: you have creme brulee.  

Ok - This is a creamy, therefore calorific dessert, but its flavors are so light and ethereal, it seems to be feather-weight!