Pastry Cream (crema Pasticceria)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 9
• 3 1/4 cups milk (whole milk, please)
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus
• 2 teaspoons sugar (110 g total)
• 3 slices fine lemon zest
• 7 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (70 g)
• 1 -2 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 1 1/2 t vanilla and 3 to 4 t rum)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 g)

Recipe

• 1 slowly heat the milk, 2 t of the sugar, and the lemon zest in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
• 2 meanwhile, whisk the remaining sugar, egg yolks, egg, and salt until thick but still golden, 2 to 3 minute.
• 3 sift the flour, a little at a time, whisking briskly to mix thoroughly.
• 4 whisk 1/2 c of the boiling milk mixture, 2 t at a time, into the egg mixture; then pour the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture (this is a technique known as tempering).
• 5 cook over medium-high heat, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• 6 as it begins to reach a boil and look lumpy, whisk vigorously to smooth it.
• 7 when the cream is as thick as mayonnaise, reduce the heat and whisk or stir for another minute.
• 8 remove from the heat and discard the lemon zest.
• 9 beat in the vanilla and then the butter, 1 t at a time.
• 10 cool the cream quickly by placing the pan in a bowl of cold water or by spreading the cream out on 2 baking sheets.
• 11 smear a little butter on top and cover tightly with plastic wrap so cream doesn't get a skin.
• 12 cool completely in refrigerator.
• 13 you may want to thin it with a couple of t of milk before using it.