Hello Bakers,
Here is the recipe for pastry cream. On tomorrow’s show, I will be demoing how to assemble and bake our Torta Alla Nonna. It needs to chill before filling the tart shell and baking it. So make the pastry cream first and get it in the refrigerator.
Equipment:
2 Medium Saucepan
Whisk, Spatula
Baking sheet (1/4 sheet is big enough) lined with plastic wrap
Ingredients:
Yield: 3 cups - enough to fill a 10” tart shell
369g milk
57g sugar (sugar #1)
2 teaspoons (6g) vanilla bean paste (optional) or 1/2 VB pod, cut in half
36g cornstarch
85g milk
4 large egg yolks - 72g
50g butter - room temperature
Pour the 13 ounces (369 g) milk into a saucepan. Add the first 2 ounces (57 g) of sugar.
If using the vanilla bean, split it in half lengthwise with a paring knife, carefully scrape the seeds into the saucepan with the milk and first sugar. If using the vanilla bean paste add 2 teaspoons to the milk and the first sugar in the saucepan.
Place the saucepan on medium heat and bring to a low boil.
While the milk is heating, in a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch to the remaining vanilla sugar. Stir until well combined. It should look like a fine dust.
Add the 3 ounces (85 g) of milk and the egg yolks to the sugar and cornstarch mixture.
Pour half of the boiling milk into the cornstarch mixture, and then quickly pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan. It is important to bring the egg mixture up to the temperature of the milk so that the eggs don’t scramble.
Using the whisk, gently stir the egg-milk mixture over medium heat as it thickens, then whisk briskly until smooth. Cook for 1 minute once the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat.
Add the butter and the vanilla extract, if using.
The mixture should look smooth, but if you see any sign of lumps, strain the mixture. Pour the pastry cream onto the baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Spread the pastry cream flat with a spatula and cover the entire surface with another piece of plastic. The pastry cream will form a skin if the plastic wrap is not against the surface. Immediately, place the pastry cream in the refrigerator.
Alternately, the pastry cream can be poured into a clean bowl and placed over an ice water bath. Press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface and stir often.
Pastry cream must be refrigerated. It has a shelf life of 2-3 days.