Sweet Essentials Crème Pâtissière Pastry Cream Food

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.

SWEET ESSENTIALS: CRèME PâTISSIèRE (PASTRY CREAM)

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• You will need a whisk or an electric beater. The whisk is fine... the beater is easier.
• Unlike other custards, pastry cream must to be brought to the boil. The flour will cook well, and you won't be left with a floury taste. In addition, the heat allows the eggs to form strong bonds, with the flour that really thicken and stabilize the pastry cream.
• If there is one secret to making a good Crème Pâtissière it is the constant whisking. Once you add the hot liquid to the eggs, the whisking never stops.
• If you do not have vanilla paste, then substitute 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• Add the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla to a medium bowl, and whisk until pale yellow, and completely combined.
• Chef's Note: The reason mine does not look pale yellow is because I am using brown coconut sugar, for this particular batch.
• Add the flour, and continue to whisk until completely combined.
• Add the milk and cream to a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and slowly bring up to the boil, about 3 - 4 minutes.
• Take off heat and slowly, slowly, add about 1/4 cup to the egg/sugar mixture, while constantly whisking.
• Chef's Note: This is called tempering the eggs. If you add the hot milk/cream too fast, you will cook the eggs, and we do not want scrambled eggs.
• Now, slowly add the remainder of the hot liquid in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
• Chef's Tip: Take the saucepan and wash it out. That way it will not have a film of dried milk on the bottom.
• Chef's Tip: If some of the eggs cooked (it can happen), and you have little bits in your Crème Pâtissière, no worries. Just push it through a fine-mesh sieve before returning to the stovetop.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan, and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, while constantly stirring. Then reduce heat to medium, and whisk for an additional 2 minutes, or until nice and thick.
• Chef's Tip: If you feel that the Crème Pâtissière is heating up too fast, remove it from the heat periodically while stirring.
• Place in a bowl, and press a piece of cling film over the surface, then place in the fridge until ready to use. You can make this 3 to 4 days in advance.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Use it as a filling base for all sorts of tarts, and pastries. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

HOW TO MAKE PASTRY CREAM (CRèME PâTISSIèRE RECIPE)

Steps:

• In a 2-quart stainless steel saucier, combine milk and scraped vanilla bean along with its seeds. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover to prevent evaporation, and let steep for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, set up an ice bath by partially filling it with a combination of cold water and ice. Set aside.
• In a medium heatproof mixing bowl set on top of a dampened towel (this serves as a stable base), stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks until mixture is pale yellow, smooth, and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Uncover infused milk and remove vanilla bean (see note). While whisking continuously, slowly pour milk into egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, until all of it has been added.
• Return the mixture to the same saucier. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until pastry cream begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Once it thickens, continue to whisk, pausing every few seconds to check for bubbles, about 1 minute. When it begins to bubble, set a timer and continue whisking for 1 minute. This step is important to neutralize a starch-dissolving protein found in egg yolks.
• Off-heat, whisk in butter until melted and thoroughly combined. Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof medium bowl. Immediately place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer bowl to prepared ice bath to chill for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
• When ready to use the pastry cream, whisk until smooth.