Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 fluid ounces/473 milliliters) milk
- 1⁄4 cup (1 ounce/28 grams) cornstarch
- 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1⁄2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (0.5 ounces/14 grams) unsalted butter
- 1⁄4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Author George Greenstein has a gift for teaching home bakers to think, work and bake like the pros with his evocative and tactile descriptions of baking. In A Jewish Baker’s Pastry Secrets (Ten Speed Press, 2015), he crafts master dough recipes for Jewish holiday baking and European classics, creating a comprehensive set of building blocks for both beginners and baking enthusiasts. The book also offers an in-depth guide to ingredients and equipment, including both professional and home ovens, as well as 40 basic recipes for fillings, icings, and glazes. With Greenstein’s steady guidance and familiar voice, home bakers and professionals alike will be encouraged to turn out flawless pastry creations for any occasion.
Pastry Cream
Pastry cream, sometimes referred to as custard, is easy to make. Many pastry chefs and most Italian bakers thicken pastry cream with flour instead of cornstarch. I find that the taste of flour is present in the finished product, so I prefer cornstarch, which is bland and easier to work with. Prepare and measure the ingredients before beginning.