Baked Savory Custard with Cheese

2 C. cream, half-and-half or milk

1 sprig thyme, optional

1 clove garlic, optional

3 eggs plus 2 yolks

Pinch cayenne

½ tsp. salt

½ cup grated semihard cheese, like Gruyère, Comté or Emmenthal

½ cup grated Parmesan

 

Put cream in a small pot with thyme and garlic, if you’re using them. Cook just until it begins to steam. Heat oven to 300 degrees and set a kettle of water to boil. Put eggs, cayenne and salt in a medium bowl and whisk or beat until blended; stir in the cheese. Remove thyme and garlic from cream, then add cream gradually to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture into a 1-quart dish or into 4 ramekins or custard cups. Put dish or ramekins in a deep baking pan and pour boiling water in, to within about 1 inch of top of dish or ramekins. Bake until mixture is not quite set; it should jiggle a bit in middle. This will take about 30 minutes for ramekins and longer for baking dish; also, cream sets faster than milk. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold within a few hours of baking.