•Crème anglaise can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
•Pineapple may be broiled up to 1 hour ahead.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 3/4 hours
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
For crème anglaise:
For caramelized pineapple:
Preparation
Make crème anglaise:
Step 1
Heat milk, zest, and ginger until hot and remove from heat. Let stand 25 minutes, then reheat.
Step 2
Whisk together egg, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Pour milk through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg mixture, then transfer to a small saucepan.
Step 3
Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and a thermometer registers 170°F, 3 to 5 minutes. (Do not let boil.) Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until cold.
Make caramelized pineapple:
Step 4
Preheat broiler.
Step 5
Cut 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices from middle of pineapple, reserving remainder for another use.
Step 6
Lightly oil a shallow heavy baking pan and arrange pineapple rounds in 1 layer. Sprinkle with sugar and broil 4 inches from heat, rotating pan if necessary for even browning, until caramelized, 7 to 8 minutes. Cool pineapple.
Assemble dessert:
Step 7
Place 1 pineapple round on each dessert plate. Make a cut in each remaining round from edge to center. Working with 1 round at a time and holding round perpendicular to plate, gently twist cut edges away from each other and prop on top of pineapple on plate.
Step 8
Spoon crème anglaise around pineapple and sprinkle with crystallized ginger.
