Asparagus Cups

The roots of this recipe lie in the eighteenth century, and variations on it appeared in books until the 1930s. The cups were often made of simple bread rolls or occasionally pastry, and the custard could be plain or flavored. Ivy’s first solo dish is pastry and asparagus, and asparagus appears in many different guises throughout Downton Abbey, including in the first episode, where it’s made into a showstopping crown. The cup here uses brioche dough, which was very popular in France