RECIPE: A little pastry cream goes a long way
During recent travels through Spain and France, I noticed a common, delicious detail among the many pastries I sampled: the subtle use of vanilla bean pastry cream. Also known as creme patissiere, it is used as a flavor and texture enhancement for a lot of viennoiseries, baked goods like croissants, pain suisse and Danishes, made from yeast-leavened dough that is often laminated.
I could write a lengthy column about why I believe France and other European countries receive such praise for their food culture, but one main attribute is “everything in moderation.” Portions may be smaller compared to the U.S., but the food is made with such high-quality ingredients that the goodness just goes farther. In the case of creme patissiere, you only need a little spoonful to experience its satiating decadence and how its creamy smoothness accentuates the other luxurious textures and flavors in the pastry.
Imagine what you can do with a jarful of vanilla pastry tucked away in your own fridge. It goes perfectly smeared over that beautiful flaky dough you just baked into the perfect strawberries and cream galette. Imagine a spoonful of pastry cream baked right into an imprinted brioche bun topped with raspberry jam and coconut flakes. Or a drizzle of cold patissiere over fresh, juicy grilled peach slices for a perfect al fresco summer desert.
Pastry cream gets a bad rap for being difficult; take it off the heat too soon, and you have eggy milk. Take it off the heat too late, and you essentially have a chunky pudding and risk curdling the egg and losing all your careful work. It can be a frustrating endeavor, but with a little patience and diligence creme, patisserie can become the home baker’s greatest dessert pleasure.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, for a thicker custard add up to 1/2 tablespoon more
- In a large mixing bowl, place butter and vanilla and place a fine-mesh strainer on top. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm heavy cream, milk and salt, whisking frequently to ensure milk solids don’t burn to the bottom of the pot.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch until light in color and thick in texture.
- Once milk starts to form little bubbles and get frothy, temper the egg mixture by pouring 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk into egg mixture, then whisk well to spread the heat and keep eggs from cooking.
- Pour tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk. Still over medium-low heat, stir constantly then whisk with increased intensity to prevent curdling. You’ll see fine steamy bubbles at first, and then you’ll start to see a satiny custard. Remove from heat before it bubbles.
- Immediately through the fine-mesh strainer atop butter and fold until butter is melted and incorporated into the pastry cream. Cover with plastic or transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate up to 7 days until ready to use. Makes 2 cups.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/4-cup serving: 192 calories (percent of calories from fat, 68), 3 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 15 grams total fat (9 grams saturated), 108 milligrams cholesterol, 47 milligrams sodium.Sarah Dodge is an Atlanta-based bread baker, pastry chef and baking instructor. She is the owner of Bread is Good, which offers bread subscriptions to the general public and wholesale baked goods to local markets and restaurants.
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