Introduction
Pastry cream, referred to also as crème pâtissière is a thick creamy custard that is common in most desserts. It gives a smooth rich taste and luxurious texture making it a filling for eclairs, tarts, cakes and pastries. This flexible cream forms the basis of French patisserie and is popular across the globe.
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Ingredients
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions
Heat the Milk: Put a medium saucepan of milk on fire and bring to the boil. Don’t permit it to become that hot which causes boiling.
Mix Sugar and Yolks: In another dish, beat into one another sugar and egg yolks until pale and thickened.
Add Cornstarch: Stir in corn flour into the egg yolk mixture until fully combined.
Temper the Eggs: While whisking continuously add half the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture at a slow pace to avoid curdling of eggs.
Combine Mixtures: Pour back tempered egg mixture into remaining milk in sauce pan.
Cook the Cream: Boil over moderate heat stirring all through till it becomes thick. Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes after boiling to ensure that cornstarch is well cooked through.
Add Butter and Vanilla: Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla extract till smooth.
Cool the Cream: Place pastry cream in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressing directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming; leave out at room temperature until cool then refrigerate until ready to use.
Serving and Storage Tips
Serving: Éclair, tart, cream puff and other pastries can be filled with pastry cream. This is also a good option for fruit tarts and parfaits that are layered.
Storage: Pastry cream remains fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if covered tightly using plastic wrap directly on its surface to prevent formation of skin.
Tips for Success
Preventing Curdling: Gradually add the hot milk while whisking continuously so as to avoid curdling when tempering the eggs.
Smooth Texture: After cooking, strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure there are no lumps or it is smooth.
Cooling Properly: As it cools, put plastic wrap over the top of your pastry cream so that skin does not form.
Health Benefits
The richness of this preparation in proteins and essential vitamins from eggs yolk and milk is known. Anyhow, it has high amounts of sugar and fat making it necessary to consume moderately.
Nutritional Information (per 1/2 cup serving)
Calories: 250
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 200mg
Sodium: 70mg
Variations and Substitutions
Different Flavored Pastry Cream: Add other flavored extracts like almond, coffee or orange which will give different taste.
Chocolate Flavored Pastry Cream: For a chocolate version add 4 ounces of melted chocolate to the mixture after cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I make pastry cream in advance? Yes. It is possible to make the cream up to three days before and then store it in a refrigerator.
What is the reason behind lumpy pastry cream? Pouring the cream slowly without stopping on top during mixing can result into formation of lumps. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps.
Is it possible to freeze pastry cream? Avoid freezing pastry creams because they become grainy when thawed out.
What if my pastry cream becomes too thick? Always ensure that you whisk cold milk little by little until desired thickness is achieved.
Conclusion
Pastry cream has various uses in different dessert recipes. It combines well with other ingredients due to its rich flavor and smoothness. Ways of personalizing the custard according to an occasion are also provided in order to make it easy for you when following these tips and variations while preparing your pastry creams. Make sure you enjoy both creating this dish and eating it!