Few months ago, I was offered a few vanilla pods brought directly from Tahiti. They are huge and have a strong fragrance. So strong that normally I only use half for my recipe. But I’m glad, each dessert or preparation with vanilla, like this pastry cream (or creme patissiere), have a very good vanilla flavor.
Regarding the pastry cream, following this recipe you obtain from the beginning a lump-free cream without much effort. There is no mystery, just whisk for a smooth cream. In addition, the source is reliable, I adapted the recipe from Larousse Cuisine.
Pastry Cream Recipe (Crème Pâtissière) Average Rating:
Serves: 4 Time: 15 m Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients 350 ml of whole milk 1 vanilla pod 4 egg yolks 80g sugar 35 g of cornstarch 35 g of butter
Directions
To begin, put the butter out from the fridge to let it warm. In a saucepan over low heat, heat the milk. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape the seeds with a knife. Add the seeds, the empty vanilla pod and half of the sugar to the saucepan. Increase a little the heat and bring the milk to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent it form burning at the bottom. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until the mixture whitens. Sprinkle corn starch gradually while mixing vigorously. Continue whisking until you get a smooth consistency. When the milk starts to boil, pass it through a skimmer to remove the vanilla pod and any remainings that could have scratched. Pour the milk into the egg mixture slowly while stirring vigorously. Put the mixture again in the pan, again through the skimmer to remove possible traces of curd egg. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once boiling, remove from heat and put back into the bowl. Let it cool (until 50°C). When the cream is warm (it should be warm but not burn) add the softened butter and whisk well. The cream will acquire a smooth texture with no lumps.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
Use this cream to garnish or stuff cakes. Be careful not to burn the milk. If you prefer, you can flavor the milk with a cinnamon stick and lemon zest (without the white part) instead of vanilla. As the cream does not contain wheat flour, it is suitable for persons suffering gluten intolerance. Multiply or divide the quantities of ingredients to suit your needs. It is best to prepare the cream when you need it and eat the next day at lastest, because it quickly loses its flavor.
Source: Larousse Cuisine [6] [/recipehints]
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