Speaking of ingredients we’ve never cooked with before, I managed to get my hands on some Meyer lemons. I’d heard so much about their delicate flavor, their lack of pucker-inducing sourness, their almost sweet aftertaste. I scoured the internet for the best recipe to make use of my precious lemons. And I found this one, for pots de creme. French for “pots of cream.” I know, I should be a professional translator. Essentially, they’re little custard cups, made mostly with eggs and cream. You have to bake them in a water bath. See my notes towards the bottom of the post for tips about that.
Anyway, I was really excited about this recipe. And the little custards came out yummy. But it appears I’ve come to expect that pucker from lemony desserts. I actually missed it. These seemed kind of mild. Sure, they were creamy and sweet (but not too sweet) with just a hint of lemon. But I found myself wishing lemon was more of a star and less of an aftertaste. I’m not sure if I just didn’t use the right recipe to highlight the Meyer lemons or if I’m just a sucker for regular, super sour Eureka lemons.
So I recommend this recipe for people who like milder lemon flavor or creamy custards. I probably won’t make it again. I prefer lemon tarts or bars with a nice zip to the them. But I wouldn’t turn it down if somebody offered it to me, so it’s not like it’s bad. It’s just not for me.
