What do all the best French dessertswere talkingeclairs, fruit tarts and Napoleonshave in common?
At first blush, making pastry cream can seem like a tough challenge.
But pastry cream isnt so hard to make yourself.
How to Make Pastry Cream
Thats right: Pastry cream doesnt have to be a challenge.
Much likechoux pastry(another French must), pastry cream requires no special ingredients or tools.
To show you the basics, were taking the cream component from our contest-winningChocolate-Glazed Raspberry Eclairs.
Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring all the while.
Once thickened, reduce the heat to low and keep whisking for another two minutes.
Then take the pan off the heat.
Now comes the most challenging part of making pastry cream:tempering the eggs.
This just means adding a small amount of a hot mixture to eggs so they dont scramble.
This isnt a challenging technique, but you do have to work fast.
Next, add the egg yolk mix to the saucepan and whisk, whisk, whisk.
Bring the mix to a gentle boil and continue to whisk for another two minutes.
Its not a decadent French dessert withoutbutter!
After your mix is thickened, transfer it to a clean bowl.
Then stir in the butter until the pastry cream is nice and smooth.
If you want to add extracts to your pastry cream for flavor, this is the time.
Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract or paste along with the butter.
Much likepudding, pastry cream can form an unpleasant skin if stashed uncovered.
For best results, press plastic wrap right onto the cream and chill.
Then spread, pipe and sample to your hearts content.
Flavored pastry creams can really elevate your desserts.
Even simple eclairs can get a big lift by stirring fresh raspberries into the cream.
Since then, chocolate-glazed raspberry eclairs have been my favorite pastry to make.
I garnish each eclair either with a single fresh raspberry or with a sprinkling of crushed freeze-dried raspberries.
Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Looking for a fancy breakfast pastry?
These French butter cookies, also known as sable Breton, shine the spotlight on the famous ingredient.
This recipe is mildly sweet, rich, crisp and has a hint of salt.
You won’t be able to resist having a secondor third.
French hot chocolate is velvety smooth, rich, decadent and almost the consistency of a molten chocolate bar.
It is meant to be sipped slowly and savored.
Wrong season for fresh berries?
Use frozen berries thawed in a colander and discard the juice.
It started with my Russian great-grandmother, who traveled to America more than 100 years ago.
I love continuing the tradition with her recipe.
you’re free to also serve this as a custard if you choose to not caramelize the top.
Turns out they’re easy!
Sometimes I’ll even make a quick berry whipped cream and pipe it inside for a fun surprise.
It will take a few minutes of pulsing for the food processor to work its magic.
Theyre baked in the distinctive shell-shaped madeleine pan, available in kitchen specialty stores.
Taste of Home Test KitchenGo to RecipeMaple-Apple ClafoutisThis fruit pudding could not be easier to make!
A traditional comfort food in France, it is often made with cherries.
I use apples and maple syrup to give it a real Midwestern flair.
Try making individual tartlets instead of one big dessert.
There’s a lot to love!
For even more appeal, dollop sweetened whipped cream on top of each serving.
The season is short, so I use them in everything while I can get them.
That sweet orange flavor with some brown sugar is a perfect combination.
Whenever I have something to go to, my friends demand that I bring this dessert.
Pamela Butkowski, Hermosa Beach, California.
I love to cook and have tons of recipes, but this one is a favorite.
Best of all, it’s easy to make.
We prepare the crepes and filling in advance, and assemble them and add the topping just before serving.
It’s still a family favorite after all these years.
Your friends won’t believe this fancy-looking dessert came from a slow cooker.
The rum is subtle, so it is suitable as a dessert or on a brunch buffet.
It was so easyand absolutely delicious.
It turned my trip around and inspired my lifelong passion for baking.
Weighing ingredients, roasting nuts, kneading doughthe art of baking transcends language.
The sweet sensations are as fast to make as they are fabulous.
Folks tell me they enjoy these French Christmas cookies.
The apricot preserves on top add a nice bit of sweetness.
Here on the high plains, we’ve been raising cattle, wheat and daughters for 30 years.
Our two oldest are grown, and our youngest just began college.
These special treats are something to look at and mouthwateringly delicious.
These have a Middle Eastern twist with the addition of rosewater, honey and a touch of cardamom.
They are light and crispa special treat for the holidays.
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