Poppy-seed Dumplings with Baked Vanilla Custard

It has been a long time since I ate poppy-seed dumplings, but finally on this weekend I found minced poppy-seeds.

Oh, yes, it is quite a challenge to find MINCED poppy-seeds in Luxembourg. You either have to go the a mini, but special shop or drive to Germany. Of course, driving to Germany doesn't take that long. 30 minutes and you are there.

I had no intention to make regular poppy-seed dumplings, as a food blogger you have to challenge yourself. I searched on the internet and found that besides me a whole lot of people thinks that vanilla custard and poppy-seed dumplings are amazing together. However, nobody baked the two together. So, here is the recipe for Poppy-seed Dumplings with Baked Vanilla Custard.

POPPY-SEED DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS

30 cm (12-inch) long baguette
5 tablespoon poppy-seed paste (as it turned out the packet I bought was not only minced poppy-seeds, but already mixed with powder sugar and lemon juice)
3 dkg butter
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon zest of lemon
Heat on medium the milk with the nutmeg, butter, and zest of lemon. In the meantime, cut the baguette into half cm (0.2 inch) slices. When the milk is almost boilinh, take it off and pour it on the baguette slices. 10 slices and little bit milk, again 10 slices and again milk and so on. Leave 8 slices for later. Stir it gently. Add the poppy-seed paste and stir it gently again. At this time, the slices are kind of smashed, but that is the point. Do not smash it too much tough. Put the 8 remaining slices on the top. No stirring this time, as you will pour the custard on them. :)))))
BAKED VANILLA CUSTARD (by Jane Price)

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
9,5 dkg sugar
3.75 dl milk
1.25 dl heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
Whisk all ingredients together in a food processor or mixer for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar is melted.
PREPARATION AND BAKING

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (350 Fahrenheit). Pour the vanilla custard on the poppy-seed dumplings when the oven is ready. The 8 slices will float on the surface. Put the pan in a larger pan (just like when baking chestnut) and fill half of the larger one with water. Bake them for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat to 160 degrees (320 Fahrenheit) and bake for 20 minutes.

At the end, you will get a really creamy, vanilla poppy-seed dumplings.