How to make Italian pastry cream

Italian pastry cream (crema pasticcera) is employed to fill pastries, cakes or pies.

This cream has been mostly used in English and Norwegian languages and in the northern part of Europe. It is used to fill pie crusts hence the term custard, from crust.

This called creamfyld  or fylld  meaning filling cream in Swedish and Danish. The rest of the world known it as what can be translated “bakers’ cream”, crema pasticcera in Italian.

While in Sicily we call “milk cream”, crema ri latti, because the main ingredient is milk.

The use of this cream is widespread all over the island, and each baker and each housewife makes its own version; in fact this recipe does not have strict parameters, but allows personal touches which most of the time improve the taste.

This cream is needed in the preparation of “Zuppa Inglese”, profiteroles, budino al Marsala, crema fritta, torte di crema alla frutta, to name a few desserts where it cannot be substituted.

Adding Marsala wine and whipped cream makes a delicious zabaglione cream, or utilizes a rosolio to enhance its flavor to the taste of the liquor used.

Many times we served this cream as a dessert, after dinner in a goblet glass sprinkled with Marsala wine and toasted pistachio nuts with biscuits on the side.

CREMA PASTICCERA RECIPE

VIDEO RECIPE:

SERVING: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

1. Heat the milk, salt and the orange peel in a 4 quart heavy saucepan, at a low heat.
2. At the same time in a large bowl mix the sugar and the flour or corn starch and add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring with a wire whisk until well homogenized.
3. When the milk is warm add 1 cup to the bowl a little at a time, stirring continuously to avoid lumping.
4. 
   Increasing the heat a little bit and transfer egg mixture into the pot with milk.
5. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until it thickens and bubbles for 1 minute.
6. Remove from fire, discard orange peels, mix in the vanilla and place in a bowl.
7. Cover surface with wax paper and store in the refrigerator for a few hours or until ready to use.
8. Italian pastry cream is now ready to be served.