Custards and creams
The world of pastry is full of cream and custard recipes. Every cake deserves to be filled with the perfect custard, which is essential also for morning croissants, cookies, tarts and bars. Here are three basic and delicious recipes to enrich your sweet treats.
Chocolate ganache
Ingredients
¼ l whipping cream
200 g dark chocolate
Chop the chocolate and place the whipping cream in a small pot. Bring to boil, then add the chocolate and remove the pot from the heat. Whisk until the chocolate will be completed melted. Pour the mixture in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk, slowly increasing the speed. Whisk for about 10 minutes, until the cream has doubled in size.
Crème anglaise
Ingredients
5 very fresh egg yolks
1/2 l whole milk
120 g sugar
1 vanilla bean or another flavoring to taste: orange or lemon peel, coffee beans, etc.
Pour the milk into a small saucepan, add the vanilla bean split lengthwise and bring it slowly to a boil. Combine the egg yolks and the sugar in a bowl and whisk them with a wooden spoon for a few minutes, until the mixture will become lighter in color. While stirring, trickle the hot milk, then pour the mixture into the milk saucepan and let it thicken over low heat or, better yet, over a hot but not boiling bain marie. In fact, the custard must thicken without reaching a full boil that can cause it to curdle, resulting in a lumpy mixture. While cooking, stir constantly and, once ready, it will form a veil. Pour the custard into a bowl set in a large bowl of water and ice. While cooling, stir often to prevent a skin from forming on the surface.
Custard
Ingredients
4 egg yolks
½ l milk
150 g sugar
50 g flour
Lemon zest
Salt
Put aside ½ glass of milk, bring the rest to boil in a small saucepan with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt. In a mixing bowl combine the egg yolks, sugar and flour and whisk with a wooden spoon. Add the cold milk to the egg mixture, then pour over the hot milk and mix well. Pour the custard into the saucepan and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, until it becomes dense and creamy. Remove the lemon zest and pour the custard in a bowl.
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