Creme Patissiere Recipe Mary Berry Food

MARY BERRY'S RELIGIEUSES

Steps:

• Start by making the choux pastry. Heat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas 7. Draw eight 5cm circles and eight 2.5cm circles on the paper lining the baking sheet.
• Put the butter and water into a heavy pan and heat over a medium heat until the butter has completely melted, then bring the mixture to the boil, taking care not to burn the butter. Remove from the heat and tip in the flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a soft ball. Set the pan back on a low heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition, to make a smooth, shiny paste.
• Spoon the choux dough into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain tube. Pipe discs inside the drawn circles on the baking sheet. Dip your finger in water and gently smooth the top of each disc. Place in the heated oven and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5 and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until a good golden brown.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and pierce each bun with a skewer to allow the steam to escape. Return the choux buns to the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes so they dry out. Transfer the buns to a wire rack and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the crème patissiere. Pour the milk into a heavy-based medium pan. Using the tip of a small knife, scrape out the vanilla seeds from the split pod and add to the milk. Slowly bring to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a heatproof mixing bowl and whisk together until pale, then add the cornflour and flour and whisk in. Continue to whisk as you pour on the hot milk in a thin steady stream. Pour the mixture back into the pan. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil, whisking constantly. Cook for 1 minute until smooth and thick. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface of the crème patissiere with clingfilm (this prevents a skin from forming). Leave to cool, then chill.
• For the chocolate ganache, bring the cream to the boil in a small pan, then remove from the heat. Add the pieces of chocolate and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool, then cover and chill until the ganache has a thick coating consistency.
• To assemble the religieuses, spoon the crème patissiere into a piping bag fitted with a long thin tube (or use a jam or icing syringe) and fill the choux buns through the 'steam hole' made earlier. Dip the tops of the filled buns into the chocolate ganache to coat them halfway up the sides. Set a small bun on top of each large bun.
• Whip the cream until it stands in peaks. Spoon into a clean piping bag fitted with a star tube. Pipe a line of cream around the join where the two buns meet to form a white collar. Serve as soon as possible after assembling.

PROFITEROLES WITH CRèME PâTISSIèRE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease two baking trays.
• To make the pastry, put the butter and 150ml/5fl oz water in a small pan. Heat gently until the butter has melted. Bring slowly to the boil, and then remove from the heat. Quickly add the plain flour and, using a wooden spoon, beat until the mixture forms a soft ball. Return to the heat and beat for a further minute.
• Leave to cool slightly. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, mixing well between each addition until you have a smooth pipeable mixture. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm/½in plain nozzle. Pipe 20 small mounds onto the prepared baking trays, leaving room for them to spread. Flick water over the tray to create steam when baking.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Cook for a further 10 minutes, or until well-risen and a deep golden-brown. Remove and make a hole in the bottom of the buns to allow the steam to escape. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• For the filling, put the milk and vanilla extract in a heavy-based pan and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 30 seconds.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornflour and plain flour. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the eggs, whisking continuously, then pour back into the pan.
• Bring to the boil, whisking continuously over a medium heat and cook for one minute, or until thickened. Add a dash of red food colouring and stir thoroughly until it has an even colour. Pour into a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to the fridge to chill.
• For the the icing, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Add the butter and 4 tablespoons water. When the chocolate is melted and well combined with the butter, remove it from the heat and beat in the icing sugar until smooth.
• When the profiteroles are cold, spoon the red crème patissiere into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Fill the profiteroles then dip each one into the icing to coat the top. Leave to set, then serve.

CREME PATISSIERE

Steps:

• Beat the egg yolks and sugar for a few minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
• Whisk in the flours.
• Heat the milk in a saucepan until stating to boil.
• Whisk the milk into the egg mix.
• Put the whole lot back into the pan, stirring all the time until thick and boiling.
• Take the pan off the heat - cover with cling-film to prevent a skin from forming.

CREME PATISSIERE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a small bowl. Add flour, and mix until smooth and free of lumps.
• Thin egg-yolk mixture with approximately 1/4 cup of warm milk. When remaining milk begins to boil, add it to egg-yolk mixture, and stir well. Return to saucepan, and place over high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens and boils, about 1 minute. (Turning the pan as you whisk helps to easily reach all areas of pan.)
• Reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking constantly, until cream becomes shiny and easier to stir, about 2 minutes more. Pour into a bowl, and stir in vanilla. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming, and allow to cool.

STRAWBERRY TART

Steps:

• Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth, but not fluffy. Mix in the egg until combined, then add the flour. Bring together with your hands to form a dough. Wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
• Dust a surface with flour and roll out the pastry to a 26cm circle (or 3cm bigger than your tin). Line a 23cm fluted tart tin with the pastry, leaving an overhang. Prick the base with a fork to stop any air bubbles forming. Chill for 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the pastry case with a scrunched up sheet of baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for 15-20 mins more until crisp and golden. Leave in the tin to cool.
• To make the crème pâtissière, heat the milk, cream and vanilla in a pan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring up to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl for 3 mins until pale, then stir in the cornflour until combined. Pour a quarter of the hot cream over the egg mix, whisking continuously, then pour the warm egg mix into the pan with the rest of the cream. Stir over a low-medium heat for 5-8 mins until the crème pâtissière thickens. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 15 mins, whisking occasionally. Gradually whisk in the butter until smooth, cover and put in the fridge until needed.
• Beat the strawberry jam to loosen it, then spread over the bottom of the pastry case. Put the crème pâtissière into a piping bag and pipe in a spiral on top of the jam. Arrange the strawberries on top in a pattern. Heat the apricot jam in a small pan with 1 tbsp water until warm. Whisk to loosen the jam, then leave to cool slightly. Brush over the top of the strawberries.