Orange Vanilla 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.

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.

NO-FUSS PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup; add to saucepan along with butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil 1 minute, still whisking; then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of cream to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.

ORANGE-VANILLA PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Bring milk, vanilla bean, and zest to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 20 minutes.
• Put yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour; mix until incorporated.
• With mixer on low speed, add 1/2 cup steeped milk. Return milk-yolk mixture to pan; whisk. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl set in an ice-water bath. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 2 days.