Pastry cream, also known as crema pasticcera in Italian, is a delectable custard-like filling commonly used in a variety of pastries, cakes, and desserts. Its rich and creamy texture, combined with a delicate vanilla flavor, makes it a versatile ingredient that can elevate any sweet treat. Whether you're a novice baker or an experienced pastry chef, creating the perfect pastry cream requires a few essential ingredients and a simple yet precise technique. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of making pastry cream from scratch, ensuring a smooth and luscious result every time.
Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!
PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)
Make this for our "English Soup" (Zuppa Inglese).
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Yield Makes 3 cups
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Stir together milk and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, just until small bubbles appear at edges. Remove pan from heat.
- Put egg and yolks and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Beat in the hot milk mixture. Raise speed to high; beat 1 minute more. Transfer the pastry cream to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer warm pastry cream to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface. Refrigerate until just chilled, about 2 hours, or up to 1 day.
PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)
Provided by Francine Segan
Categories Milk/Cream Dairy
Yield Makes 6 cups (1 1/2 quarts / 1.4 liters)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and beat with an electric mixer or whisk until creamy and light yellow. Mix in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth.
- Put the milk, cream, and vanilla in a saucepan and heat over low heat until bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pan. Do not boil. Gradually beat in the egg yolk mixture, making sure to beat until there are no lumps. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the pastry cream thickens, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook. The mixture should be thick, but not stiff. It will solidify as it cools.
- Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, with the wrap touching the surface of the pastry cream so it doesn't form a skin. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
CREMA PASTICCERA (ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM) FOR BOMBOLONI
Categories Egg
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Crema Pasticcera {Italian Pastry Cream} In a small saucepan bring milk, vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds just to the boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep 10 to 12 minutes. In a large bowl, using a large hand whisk, cream together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Add the flour and whisk to well combine. Gradually, in a steady stream, add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture; whisking constantly until well combined. Return the milk-egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and strain Crema Pasticcera through a fine mesh sieve into a 20-cm (8 inch) square dish or 23 X 33 cm (9 X13 inch) rectangular dish. Discard solids. (A little tip for you - I remove the vanilla bean; give it a quick rinse and then allow it to dry and use it when I am making syrups or compotes (gives the compote or syrup a hint of vanilla taste) or I also place the vanilla bean in a mason jar (a large one because I continue to add beans and top with more sugar as I go along) with sugar and make my own vanilla sugar (make sure the vanilla bean is completely dry before storing with sugar.) (This time I saved the vanilla bean and used it to make my stems for decorating the completed Pesche.) Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto Crema Pasticcera to prevent a skin from forming while cooling. When Crema Pasticcera has completely cooled place in refrigerator to chill until ready to fill cookies.
Tips:
- Choose the right milk: Whole milk or 2% milk will give you the richest, creamiest pastry cream. If you use skim milk, your pastry cream will be thinner and less flavorful.
- Use fresh eggs: Fresh eggs will give you a smoother, more velvety pastry cream. Old eggs can make your pastry cream curdled or grainy.
- Cook the pastry cream slowly and gently: Don't let the pastry cream boil, or it will curdle. Stir the pastry cream constantly while it is cooking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Let the pastry cream cool completely before using it: This will allow the pastry cream to thicken and set properly.
- Flavor the pastry cream to your liking: You can add vanilla extract, almond extract, chocolate, or fruit to flavor your pastry cream.
Conclusion:
Pastry cream is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can be used in a variety of desserts, from cakes and pies to tarts and éclairs. With a little practice, you can easily make pastry cream at home. So next time you're in the mood for a sweet treat, give pastry cream a try!
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