Crema Pastelera Recipes

PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)

Steps:

• Stir together milk and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, just until small bubbles appear at edges. Remove pan from heat.
• Put egg and yolks and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Beat in the hot milk mixture. Raise speed to high; beat 1 minute more. Transfer the pastry cream to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer warm pastry cream to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface. Refrigerate until just chilled, about 2 hours, or up to 1 day.

VANILLA PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Place the milk, half the sugar and the vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Combine the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a bowl and whisk until light in color. Add in the flour and the salt, mix to combine.
• When the milk just begins to boil, remove from heat and remove vanilla bean. Very slowly dribble the hot milk into the yolk mixture, stirring all the time. When about half of the milk has been added, place all of the yolk mixture into the saucepan over medium heat. Using a spatula or a whisk, mix the pastry cream as it heats, making sure to reach all of the corners of the pan when you stir. Bring the mixture to a boil. Let boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will be thick.
• Remove from heat and add the butter. Strain if you wish for a smoother cream. Place into a bowl and cover directly with plastic wrap to stop a skin from forming on the cream. Chill and use within a few days.

CREMA CATALANA

Steps:

• Combine egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in cornstarch.
• Peel lemon in one piece. Combine milk, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, and vanilla seeds in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and allow the milk to get infused with the flavorings for 30 minutes and cool. Whisk egg yolk-sugar mixture into the lukewarm milk.
• Return to heat and simmer, stirring constantly, over low heat until cream thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove lemon peel and cinnamon stick. Spoon cream into 8 ovenproof ramikens and allow to cool completely, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar onto each ramiken and set under the broiler until sugar caramelizes, 1 to 2 minutes. Pay close attention so sugar does not burn.

CREMA PASTELERA

Steps:

• Hervir la leche con la mitad del azúcar
• En un bowl mezclar con el batidor (en seco) la fécula de maíz y el resto del azúcar para disolver posibles grumos de fécula, luego agregar los huevos y batir ligeramente.
• Una vez que la leche rompe hervor, volcarla sobre el batido de huevos, revolver hasta integrar bien (1 minuto).
• Llevar la preparación de nuevo a la cacerola y colocar sobre la hornalla fuego mínimo. Sin dejar de revolver para que no se pegue cocinar hasta que hierva a borbotones, una vez que hirvió continuar la cocción 30 segundos a 1 minuto.
• Una vez fría batir ligeramente para romper la liga hasta que tome consistencia cremosa nuevamente y agregar la esencia de vainilla (se incorpora con la crema fría para que no se evapore el sabor).

PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and beat with an electric mixer or whisk until creamy and light yellow. Mix in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth.
• Put the milk, cream, and vanilla in a saucepan and heat over low heat until bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pan. Do not boil. Gradually beat in the egg yolk mixture, making sure to beat until there are no lumps. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the pastry cream thickens, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook. The mixture should be thick, but not stiff. It will solidify as it cools.
• Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, with the wrap touching the surface of the pastry cream so it doesn't form a skin. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.