BASIC PASTRY CREAM FILLING
Submitted by grizzlybiscuit on April 10, 2007 at 8:29 am

The original recipe is adapted from Joseph Amendola and is probably about 35-40 years old and has been modified many times. This is its current line up.

It is very versatile; you can use it for cream puffs, eclairs ,profiteroles, Boston cream pie, as a dessert sauce for pound cake ,ice cream etc. You can go cheap here (using skim milk and no liqueurs) right on up to using half & half, rum, raisins and other flavor enhancers. It all depends on your pocket book and personal taste!

Step 1
28oz half & half
4oz sugar
Step 2
4oz sugar
3oz egg yolks
1.5oz cake flour
1oz corn starch
4oz milk
1/2 tsp salt
step 3
1 TBSP Pure Vanilla Extract
6oz white chocolate chips
any and all other flavors
or liqueurs should be added now

Start out by making sure you have a pot big enough to handle all of the ingredients and which has a relatively heavy bottom to avoid any scorching of the filling. If you don't have one and are not comfortable with the scorching thingy then use 2 pots. Bring step 1 to a boil until the sugar dissolves and pull off the fire.

Mix all ingredients in step 2 and slowly start to add, one ladle at a time, from step 1 into step 2, until they are the same temperature, stirring with a wire whisk briskly as you go (for those who don't know, this is called tempering, which will keep the egg yolks from curdling).

Now put the whole mixture back on the stove on medium heat, and stir with the whisk until it starts to thicken. Cook for about 30 seconds more, and remove it from the heat at this time (This whole process shouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes total.) Now fold in the chocolate, vanilla, and any other flavors. Mix 'till smooth, and strain.

A couple words of caution!!! This is not a sauce you can walk away from. It needs your constant attention from start to finish. Have everything ready before hand so you don't have to stop once you start cooking. You do not, I repeat DO NOT, want to let this sauce come to a boil once you've added the egg yolks or it will curdle! If you follow these simple rules, you should have no problems. This sauce is easy to make and doesn't take a lot of time and will last about 5 days in the fridge, as long as you don't keep sticking your fingers in it, lol.

This can be a mother sauce (just eliminate the corn starch and flour from the recipe) for a lot of desserts.

The variations are endless!!!

1. Put about a half a cup of Myer's Dark Rum on the stove to warm it up, add 3/4 cup raisins, and pull it off to the side, and let it steep while you're making the filling. Add it in at the end. You have turned this into a sauce now instead of a filling, so don't worry about the extra liquid!

2. Instead of white chocolate use shaved bittersweet chocolate and an ounce of Kahlua. Fold in the Kahlua first, until smooth, and then lightly fold in the chocolate (not all the way), so that you have a marble effect.

3. You can also add 2TBSP of fully cooked poppy seeds and a touch of lemon. Be careful with the lemon (just enough to taste it); too much and the sauce might curdle if you are using skim or regular milk.
4. Sundried Cranberries and coarsely chopped toasted walnuts.

5. Fold in diced fresh ripe mango, just a touch of lime juice and some chopped cilantro.

6. Fold in 2TBSP of grated orange zest and a pinch of Grand Marnier or Triple Sec.

7. Substitute vanilla yogurt for the milk in step 2, and fold in a little Melba sauce at the end.

8. Fold in sliced blanched toasted almonds and a pinch of amaretto.

9. Some fresh chopped mint or basil and a little black pepper.

10. Fresh grated ginger (no fibers, if possible), a pinch of soy sauce and toasted chopped Macadamias

11. This is perfect for cream pie base: just fold a little whipped cream into it:

a. Banana
b. coconut
c. chocolate
d. Boston Cream (in between the yellow cake layers) with chocolate Ganache on top
This should be enough to get you going!