Green Tea Pastry Cream Food

GREEN TEA CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• Crepes: Place flour, granulated sugar, salt, milk, eggs, vanilla, and butter in a blender. Blend well, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as needed. Refrigerate in blender jar at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Process batter again in blender briefly to remove lumps. Lightly coat a 10-inch crepe pan or 12-inch nonstick skillet with butter. Heat over medium until just starting to smoke. Remove from heat; pour about 3 tablespoons batter into center. Swirl to cover bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low; return pan to heat. Cook until edges are golden and center is dry, about 40 seconds. Flip crepe. Cook 15 seconds more. Slide crepe onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter and adjusting heat as needed; stack crepes. Let cool completely.
• Assembly: For shingled sides on the cake, use the ring from a 10-inch springform pan. Place 1 crepe, golden-side up, on a flat serving plate. Spread 1/4 cup pastry cream over crepe, leaving 1/2-inch border if using ring. Top with a second crepe. Using 24 crepes total, continue layering crepes and pastry cream, ending with a crepe on top; if using ring, slide it down sides of crepes. Refrigerate cake until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
• Just before serving, remove ring from cake, if using. Place parchment strips under perimeter of cake. Whisk together confectioners' sugar and matcha; sift over top of cake.

PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Stir together the milk, salt, vanilla bean and seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar has just dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Continue to whisk until smooth. (This is called tempering, and it will prevent the yolks from scrambling.) Continue whisking and adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until completely combined and smooth.
• Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Before serving, whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.

GREEN TEA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath. Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer syrup to ice bath, stirring occasionally, until syrup is cool to touch, 15 to 20 minutes. (Syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.)
• In an electric mixer, cream butter on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. While mixing, slowly add syrup into butter and continue mixing on medium-high until mixture comes together, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add matcha. Store buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

GREEN TEA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, half-and-half, and vanilla bean, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn't scorch on the bottom. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), set aside to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the still-hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. At 160 degrees, the mixture will give off a puff of steam. When the mixture reaches 180 degrees it will be thickened and creamy, like eggnog. If you don't have a thermometer, test it by dipping a wooden spoon into the mixture. Run your finger down the back of the spoon. If the stripe remains clear, the mixture is ready; if the edges blur, the mixture is not quite thick enough yet. When it is ready, quickly remove it from the heat and whisk in the green tea. Meanwhile, half-fill a large bowl with ice water. Strain the mixture into a smaller bowl to smooth it and remove the vanilla bean. Rest the smaller bowl in the ice water and let the mixture cool, stirring often, then continue according to the directions of your ice cream maker.

GREEN TEA PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt. Cook over medium until mixture comes to a simmer. Add matcha; whisk to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1/2 cup hot-milk mixture into egg-yolk mixture. Continue adding milk mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil. Let boil, still whisking, 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add butter and stir until butter melts and mixture cools, about 5 minutes.
• Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Just before using, stir pastry cream with a flexible spatula until smooth. Whip heavy cream to soft peaks and fold into pastry cream.

PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot-milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean.
• Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, and beat on medium speed until the butter melts and the mixture cools, about 5 minutes.
• Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, beat on low speed until smooth (you can also whisk by hand).

PASTRY CREAM (EGGLESS)

Steps:

• Mix first 4 ingredients in a large pan until well blended and sugar is almost dissolved.
• Place pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it comes to the boil.
• Continue to simmer, stirring constantly while simmering, until very thick (about 5- 10 minutes).
• Remove from heat and add vanilla (or your choice of flavoring).
• Pour mixture into bowl and cover surface directly with waxed paper or plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming.
• Refrigerate several hours to overnight.
• To use pastry cream to fill[recipe=40291]cannoli shells[/recipe]: Chop 1 regular size Hershey chocolate bar and add bits to cooled (pastry cream) mixture.
• Fill cannoli shells by piping mixture into shell using a pastry bag, or use a long-handled iced tea spoon.
• Dip ends of filled cannoli into toasted, sliced or crushed almonds or crushed pistachio nuts or finely minced chocolate bits.
• Sprinkle top of shells lightly with powdered sugar (recipe will fill about 16 shells depending on their size).