Raspberry Mead Dream Cups
Third Place Winner - 2013 Missouri State Fair (Just Desserts Contest)
Gabriele Sage Harlan, Green Ridge, Missouri

Raspberry Wine Sauce:
1 1/2 cups raspberry mead
2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons honey

Pastry cream:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups fresh raspberries, for topping

Chocolate cups (optional):
12 ounces dark chocolate wafers
Small (9-inch) balloons

For Raspberry Wine Sauce, combine raspberry mead, raspberries and honey in a medium saucepan; simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate until needed.

For pastry cream, combine sugar and egg yolks in a medium-size heatproof bowl; stir well. (Do not let the mixture sit too long or clumps of egg will begin to form.) Sift flour and cornstarch onto egg yolk mixture; mix to form a smooth paste.

Meanwhile, pour milk into saucepan and bring just to boiling (just until milk starts to foam up).  Remove from heat and slowly add hot milk to egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg, or curdling, in the mixture, pour it through a fine mesh strainer.) Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly.  After it comes to a boil, whisk mixture constantly for 30 to 60 seconds, until it becomes thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla and lemon extracts.

Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming.  Let cool to room temperature.  If not using right away, refrigerate until needed, up to three days. Whisk or stir before serving to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.

Spoon pastry cream into dessert cups or small bowls. Top with fresh raspberries. Spoon some Raspberry Wine Sauce over each serving. Serve at once.

Serving suggestion: Serve pastry cream in chocolate cups, if desired. To make chocolate cups, blow up balloons to desired cup size. Place large, heat-resistant bowl on top of pan of simmering water; make sure bowl is dry inside. Place dark chocolate wafers in bowl and melt, stirring often. Dip each inflated balloon into melted chocolate, coating half of the balloon. (You may have to turn balloon to form scallops of chocolate.) Dip bottom of balloon a second time for a thicker mass, then place on waxed paper-lined tray. Place balloons in refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until chocolate is firmly set. Remove from refrigerator, pop balloons and peel balloons from chocolate cups; discard balloons. Place each chocolate cup on serving plate. Pipe pastry cream into the cups. Top with fresh raspberries. Spoon some Raspberry Wine Sauce over each serving. Serve at once.