Pierre Hermé's blueberry and lemon dessert

Did I already tell you that I can be a bit monomaniacal ? Well, those last months, I have been a lot. Concerning desserts, my whole world revolves uniquely around Pierre Hermé.
It all started 3 months ago. I was walking home when I had to stop in front of this bookstore. Hum, now I understand why I need 20 more minutes to walk home than I need to go to work : in the evening, the shops are opened…

Anyway, here’s where my other obsession comes in : I tend to buy a lot of cook books. Like, really, a lot. In fact, I’ve almost called this blog “1 meter of recipes”, because it’s actually the length of my bookshelf dedicated to them. Scary, isn’t it? And like the picky girl that I am (yeah, that too…am I not charming?!?;-), it’s not even that I need every book I see. I do make a selection, with recipes tested many times, that requires real cooking, and not adding some blueberries to a pancake mix. Not that it’s wrong, I just don’t see why this is called a “recipe”…

Of course I have not read, and even less tried, half of the recipes. So I decided that, as I have 232 recipes highlighted (which means 232 recipes making me feel very curious. or simply drooling…), I should not buy any other cookbook.
And then, there was the bookstore.
And on display, the book.
On sale.
How could I resist??

Leafing through the book, I was seduced. In the next 3 weeks, I had already baked two of the beautiful cakes. And I was convinced. My grand mother too, who said it was the best cake I’d ever baked. Although they require some time, each step is so clearly explained that it feels simple. And the result is so good it’s definitively worth it.

So hey, can you really blame me for buying two of his other books?

While one is dedicated to chocolate, the other one has a section on summer fruits. Blueberries, peaches, apricots… Can’t you feel the warm summer days just thinking about those? I eat them fresh everyday, but on Sunday lunch there’s a dessert. And I want to use them while it’s still time, before entering the wonderful figs and pear season (ok, so maybe I’m more a fruit than chocolate girl, but don’t tell anyone!).
This is really a summer dessert. It’s lighter (in sensation, maybe not in calories), there’s no oven required. It’s fresh, thanks to the blueberries and the lemon.
If you like lemon tart, you’ll like this dessert. If you like crème brulée, you’ll like it too. And if you like both, you’ll love it! Because the adding of blueberries just makes it even more special… and sophisticated, if you want to serve it for a special occasion.

Blueberries and lemon crème brulée
4 servings

For the blueberries:
17 oz. blueberries
2 ½ cups sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. cardamom

For the lemon cream:
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 eggs
Zest of 1.5 lemons
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter

4 tsp. brown sugar

Pour 4 cups of water into a boiling pan with the sugar and the lemon juice. When the water is boiling, cook the blueberries for 2 minutes. Drain and distribute into 4 ramekins.
Let cool 2 hours in the refrigerator. Verify that the blueberries did not lose their juice, otherwise, tilt the ramekins over the sink to drain them.

Prepare the lemon cream. In a big bowl, beat together the eggs, the lemon juice and zest, the sugar.
Place the bowl over a bain marie (a pan of boiling water). Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and has the consistency of a cream (about 10 minutes). Be careful that it doesn’t boil.
As soon as the cream is ready, change it to a cold bowl, to stop the cooking. Add the butter cut in small pieces. Whisk with the mixer during 10 minutes to obtain a homogeneous consistency.

Cover the blueberries with the lemon cream and leave in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Before serving, sprinkle each ramekin with a teaspoon of brown sugar. Place under hot broiler for 3 minutes until sugar caramelizes. Serve immediately.


Douceur de myrtilles au citron
Pour 4 ramequins

Pour les myrtilles :
500 g de myrtilles
550 g de sucre
1 citron (pour le jus)
1 c. à café de cardamome

Pour la crème de citron :
8 cl de jus de citron
2 œufs
le zeste d’1 citron et demi
110 g de sucre
100 g de beurre

4 cuillères à café de sucre brun


Versez 1 l d'eau dans une grande casserole avec le sucre et le jus de citron. Lorsque l'eau bout, plongez-y les myrtilles pendant 2 min. Egouttez les avant de les répartir dans les ramequins.
Laissez refroidir 2h au réfrigérateur. Vérifiez que les myrtilles n'ont pas perdu leur jus : si c'est le cas, penchez les assiettes pour les égoutter.

Une demi heure avant de ressortir les myrtilles, préparez la crème au citron. Dans un grand bol, battez ensemble les œufs, le jus de citron, le sucre et les zestes. Posez ce bol dans un bain marie (une casserole d'eau bouillante). Continuez de remuer jusqu'à ce que le mélange épaississe et prenne la consistance d'une crème. Attention, elle ne doit pas bouillir. Dès que la crème est assez épaisse, versez la dans un bol froid, pour stopper la cuisson, et ajoutez le beurre coupé en petits morceaux. Fouettez avec le batteur électrique pendant 10 minutes pour obtenir une consistance homogène et légère.

Recouvrez vos myrtilles de la crème de citron refroidie, et laissez au frais pour au moins 3h.

Avant de servir, saupoudrez chaque ramequin d'une cuillère de cassonade et passez 3 minutes sous le grill bien chaud, ou utilisez un chalumeau de cuisine pour caraméliser le dessus.