Vanilla Cremeux with Poached Quince {Local Thanksgiving}

My kitchen elf Dylan helped me make the first of our Thanksgiving desserts.

Inspired by Chef John Cox's butterscotch cremeux that I had at The Grand Public Tasting during the 2012 Big Sur Food & Wine Festival at Post Ranch, I (1) looked up what a cremeux was and (2) decided to make a version of it for myself. Click to read my piece for Edible Monterey Bay about the Grand Public Tasting. Since I try not to use gelatin, I looked at a multitude of recipes, picking and choosing different techniques until I came up with this. So easy...and so delicious.

Step 1: Make the vanilla cream.
Place 1-1/2 C organic heavy whipping cream in a sauce pan along with the caviar of one vanilla pod - plus the pod. Heat the cream until it begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat. Let steep for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Melt the white chocolate.
Remove the pod from the cream. Bring to a bubble again. Add in 2-1/2 C white chocolate chips and swirl until they are completely submerged. Let stand for 3 minutes. Then, with a whisk, blend till smooth - like you're making a ganache.

Step 3: Make the cremeux.
Place 1-1/2 C thick Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl. Stir in 1 T honey. Once the white chocolate-vanilla cream is smooth, add it to the yogurt and honey. Blend until completely combined.

Step 4: Assemble pots.
Dylan spooned poached quince into the bottom of a ramekin. Then he poured the cremeux over the top. We covered the pots with plastic wrap and let them set overnight.

Step 5: Garnish for serving.
To serve, we topped the cremeux with Kourambiedes crumbles and fresh thyme.

*Update 1/21/2013: I linked this up to the Iron Chef Mom Party: Vanilla Edition.*