Orange Pastry Cream Food

ORANGE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the milk and orange zest in a medium stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat and bring almost to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, sprinkle on the cornstarch. Beat on medium-low speed until combined, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture back into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. (Pay attention because it will thicken and then quickly become orange scrambled eggs!)
• Immediately, pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Stir in the vanilla, Grand Marnier, butter, and heavy cream. Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

BLOOD ORANGE TART WITH CARDAMOM PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• For crust:
• Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 2 tablespoons ice water and yolk in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients and blend just until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13- to 14-inch round. Transfer dough to 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press in overhang, forming double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Freeze crust 30 minutes. Bake until golden brown, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles or slips, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
• For pastry cream:
• Bring milk and cardamom to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 15 minutes. Strain milk into bowl. Whisk yolks, sugar and flour in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in milk. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat until pastry cream thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter, then vanilla. Transfer to bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• For topping:
• Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Drain rounds on paper towels. Whisk preserves and grenadine, if desired, in small bowl to blend. Spread pastry cream evenly in tart crust. Arrange oranges in overlapping concentric circles on pastry cream. Brush apricot glaze over oranges. Chill until set, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 6 hours ahead; keep refrigerated.)

FRENCH ORANGE TART

Steps:

• Place the very soft Butter in the bowl of your mixer with the Powdered Sugar and mix together with the leaf/paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.
• On low speed, stir in the Egg then the Almond Meal and Orange Zest (optional). Scrap the edges of the bowl with a spatula if needed.
• Add the Plain Flour and Salt and mix it in on low speed until the dough comes together.
• Bring the pastry together into a ball then thinly roll between two sheets of baking paper (1). Place over a flat tray and put in the fridge to rest for at least an hour.
• Once the pastry has chilled, line your Pastry Ring or Tart Pan and dock the pastry (2). If baking straight away, place it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes then bake for 25 to 30 minutes in an oven pre-heated on 160'C / 325'F. Otherwise, keep in the fridge until ready to bake (3).
• Leave to cool down completely before adding the cream filling.
• Zest and Juice the Oranges. Set aside the Zest, and place the Juice in a Small Pot (4). Heat up the juice on the stove on low heat until it simmers.
• While the juice is heating up, whisk together the Eggs, Sugar and Cornstarch in a separate heat-proof bowl until smooth.
• Once the Juice starts to simmer, slowly pour it over the Eggs/Sugar/Cornstarch while whisking. Mix well until combined and smooth, then pour it all back into the Pot.
• Place the pot back on the stove on low heat and keep whisking until the liquid starts to thicken (5). Remove from the stove and transfer into a clean Jug or bowl.
• Optional: re-hydrate the gelatine powder with a little bit of cold water and whisk it into the cream until fully dissolved.
• Leave the cream to cool down (6) then add the soft Butter and Orange Zest. Quickly mix it in with an immersion blender (or with a whisk) until fully combined (7).
• Pour the Orange Cream over the fully baked Tart Crust and smooth it out with a small offset spatula if needed. Place in the fridge to set for at least 2 to 3 hours, or up to 24 hours before serving.
• Optional: cut out small segments of fresh orange to garnish the tart before serving.

ORANGE PASTRY MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. In a food processor, whizz together the flour, icing sugar and butter until they form fine crumbs (or rub in with your fingers). With the blades running, add the zest, then 3 tbsp orange juice. Process for a few secs until the mixture forms clumps. If you need to, add a few extra tsps orange juice to bring the pastry together.
• Tip onto a very lightly floured surface, knead briefly until smooth, then chill in the fridge for 30 mins or until firm. The pastry can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour, then roll out the pastry to approx £1 coin thickness. Cut out 12 x 8cm rounds with a fluted cutter and press into a 12-hole non-stick bun tin. Re-roll the trimmings to the same thickness and stamp out 12 x 5cm rounds for the tops. Spoon about 1 tbsp mincemeat into each base and press on the tops.
• Brush the tops with the egg, then bake for 15-20 mins until golden and crisp. Cool for a few mins, then lever out of the tins with a table knife and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Warm gently to serve, dusted with sifted icing sugar, if you like.

ORANGE PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a sall saucepan, combine milk, orange zest, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds, and add the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and coner. Set aside 10 minutes; discard orange zest and vanilla pod.
• Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with cornstarch. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolks; add the sugar mixture and continue whisking until pale yellow.
• Return milk mixture to heat. Bring to a boil, scraping vanilla seeds from side of pan.
• Slowly ladle half of boiling milk mixture into egg mixture, ewhisking constantly. Transfer this new mixture back to saucepan.
• Set saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides and edges of pan. Once mixture comes to a full boil, whisk vigorously until very thick, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape pastry cream into a medium bowl; set over ice-water bath. Whisk butter, piece by piece, into pastry cream while still warm. Let cool completey. Lay plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Store in refrigerator up to 1 day.

ORANGE PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine milk, orange zest, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds, and add the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and cover. Set aside 10 minutes; discard orange zest and vanilla pod.
• Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with cornstarch. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolk; add the sugar mixture, and continue whisking until pale yellow.
• Return milk mixture to heat. Bring to a boil, scraping vanilla seeds from sides of pan.
• Slowly ladle half of boiling milk mixture into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer this new mixture back to saucepan.
• Set pan over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides and edges of pan. Once mixture comes to a boil, whisk vigorously until very thick, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape pastry cream into a medium bowl; set over ice bath. Whisk butter, piece by piece, into the pastry cream while still warm. Let cool completely. Lay plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Store pastry cream, refrigerated, up to 1 day.

ORANGE TART

Steps:

• Place the flour, confectioners' sugar, almond flour, salt, orange zest and the cold butter into a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until a fine breadcrumb consistency has been formed.
• Add the egg yolk and cold water, pulse again until the mixture sticks together in clumps.
• Tip the contents of the food processor onto your work surface and bring together into a ball with your hands. Knead the pastry a few times until nice and smooth. (If your butter wasn't cold and was a bit too soft your pastry might be too. If so, wrap it in parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.) Set aside.
• Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed tart tin.
• Lay a piece of parchment paper on the work surface. Remove the base of the tart tin and lay it on the paper. Using a pencil, draw a circle onto the paper 4cm/1½ins bigger than the base of the tin.
• Dust the base of the tin with flour. Place the pastry ball in the centre of the tin base and flatten out slightly. Roll out the pastry, still on the tin base, until it meets the circle marks. As you are rolling the pastry, turn the pastry by turning the paper.
• Gently fold the pastry into the centre of the tin base. Carefully lift the tin base off the work surface, drop it into the tin, ease the pastry into the corners and up the sides of the tin, pressing the overhang lightly over the rim. If the pastry has cracked at all, simply press it together to seal.
• Press the pastry into the curves of the tin then lightly prick the base with a fork, but not all the way through. Place the pastry-lined tin onto a baking tray, cover loosely with cling film or tea towel and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/390°F/gas mark 6.
• Remove the pastry from the fridge and uncover.
• Line the inside of the pastry with foil so it supports the sides, then fill with baking beans.
• Bake blind for 12-15 minutes, until the pastry is set, then lift out the foil and beans.
• Carefully trim the excess pastry from the sides using a potato peeler, lightly run the peeler over the top of the excess pastry until it falls away, leaving you a smooth top to your edges. Remove the trimmings from the sheet.
• Return the empty pastry case to the oven for another 10-12 minutes or until it is pale golden and completely dry.
• Set aside and allow to cool while you make your orange filling.
• [Optional] If you are using fresh oranges, zest the oranges and set aside the zest for later. Now juice the oranges and place the juice into a small pot.
• Heat the orange juice on the stove over low heat until it simmers.
• While the juice is heating up, whisk together the eggs, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
• Once the juice starts to simmer, slowly pour it over the egg mixture while whisking. Mix well until combined and smooth, then pour it back into the pot.
• Place the pot back over a low heat and keep mixing until the liquid starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and transfer into a mixing bowl. Add the gelatine powder and whisk until fully incorporated.
• Leave the filling to cool down slightly then add the soft butter, orange zest and Angostura orange bitters. Quickly mix it in with a whisk until fully combined.
• Pour the orange filling into the pastry case and lightly drop the case onto your counter, from about 2.5cm (1 inch) off of the counter, a few times until all bubbles have been released from the filling. Place in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours or, for best results, overnight.
• Remove the tart from the tin.
• Place the cream, confectioners' sugar and the Angostura orange bitters into a bowl and whisk together until firm.
• Now decorate as you see fit. Feel free to take inspiration from the photos or just go with your own ideas. Enjoy!

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.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE ORANGE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Using a pastry cutter, large-tined fork, or a food processor on pulse setting, cut the chilled butter into the flour until it resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
• Sprinkle the cold water onto the mixture and mix gently a few times, just until it forms a ball that holds together.
• Separate the dough into 2 balls, flatten slightly into thick disk shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for a few hours before working with it.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Roll and trim the dough to make a circle large enough to fit a 10-inch fluted tart pan.
• Fit the circle into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• Line the dough with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the pie weights and bake the shell for an additional 5 minutes.
• Set aside the pastry shell, still in the tart pan, to cool.
• In a small saucepan set over low-medium heat, bring the cream and orange zest to just simmering.
• Remove it from the heat and stir in the chocolate, Grand Marnier, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely incorporated.
• Whisk a small amount of the hot chocolate cream into the beaten eggs.
• Transfer the tempered egg mixture back into the hot chocolate cream and whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
• Pour the orange chocolate filling into the prepared pastry and bake at 375 F for 18 to 25 minutes, until most of the filling is set and only the center jiggles slightly when the tart is moved.
• Allow the tart to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the tart ring and chill the tart in the refrigerator before serving.
• Slice and enjoy.