Orange-Rum Pastry Cream

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Photo: Jonny Valiant
Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 10 mins
Yield:
2 cups

Golden rum adds a mellow sweetness to this rich cream. If you can't find it, use brandy or Cognac instead. This is the filling for the Pastry Wreath with Orange-Rum Cream.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, split and scraped, pod reserved

  • 6 large egg yolks

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or rice flour

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 2 teaspoons golden rum

  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Directions

  1. Heat milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla seeds and pod in a small saucepan over high heat until steaming (do not simmer). Immediately remove from heat. Discard vanilla pod.

  2. Whisk egg yolks with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl until thick. Sprinkle in flour and cornstarch, and whisk until combined.

  3. Whisk half the hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return entire mixture to saucepan with remaining milk mixture, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly and quickly to prevent scorching. Cook, continuing to whisk, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain pastry cream through a fine sieve into a bowl.

  4. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in rum and orange zest. Press plastic wrap or waxed paper directly onto surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Cook's Notes

Pastry cream can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.

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