Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

The key to the success of this custard is a blend of kappa carrageenan and iota carrageenan, naturally occurring food gums derived from red seaweed that imbue this custard with its remarkable heat-stable texture. Though carrageenan is associated nowadays with modernist cooking, it has been used in the kitchen for centuries: the product comes from Chondrus crispus, or Irish moss, so named because it was used by those who lived near Carragheen, Ireland, where it is said to have helped stave off hunger during famine. This precise mix of kappa and iota carrageenan results in a texture that is neither too brittle nor too elastic. And because carrageenan gels are heat-stable, this custard can be served warm without melting, which helps enhance the aroma and flavor of roasted almond.

Almond Cream Custard