CREAM CUSTARD

August 13, 2024

GENOISE CLASSIC / SPONGE CAKE / STRAWBERRY CAKE

Giới thiệu

August 13, 2024 4:35am

This is a type of cream made from eggs, milk, heavy cream, and a bit of cornstarch—a basic cream in Italian baking. A classic Italian birthday cake includes sponge cake/genoise classic/pan di spagna and custard cream!

According to my 97-year-old grandmother Anella, "every woman" should know how to make this cream. She said that in the past, a lavish sweet treat to have every weekend was this cream.And to scold a girl, she would say, "You can't even make this cream!" Hahaha! So, at that time, I quickly said, "I know how to make it, I know how to make it, Grandma!" 😝
Fun fact:
Cream custard has roots that date back to ancient Rome. The Romans were some of the first to mix eggs with milk and honey to create a custard-like dish, though it was more of a savory treat back then. As the recipe traveled through Europe over centuries, it evolved into the sweet dessert we know today, with variations like crème brûlée and flan emerging in different countries.
In the Middle Ages, cream custard became a favorite among European royalty. It was often served at lavish banquets, sometimes with elaborate sugar sculptures or gold leaf on top. The smooth, rich texture of custard was considered a luxury, making it a dessert fit for kings and queens.

Nguyên liệu

8 egg yolks (some recipes use whole eggs, but I guarantee, using just the yolks makes a significant difference!)
300g unsweetened milk
200g heavy cream (whipping cream, the kind used for making cake frosting)
30g cornstarch (Italians use all-purpose flour, but according to a French baking class I attended, cornstarch gives the cream a better consistency. In this video, I used all-purpose flour because I didn’t have cornstarch at home.)
Sugar
Vanilla extract
50g room temperature butter (Italians don’t typically add butter, but this is the method of the king of macarons, Herme—the creator of the beautiful French macaron. I assure you, adding butter takes this cream to a whole new level!)

Cách làm

Combine the milk and cream in a pot and heat until it just starts to simmer.
While waiting for the milk to heat, whisk the egg yolks with sugar, cornstarch (sifted), and vanilla until the sugar is fully dissolved and everything is well combined.
Once the milk is simmering, turn off the heat.
Using a hand whisk (as shown in the picture and video) or a silicone spatula (the green one in the picture), stir the milk with one hand while slowly adding the egg mixture with the other hand.

After adding the eggs and stirring, place the pot back on the stove over low heat. Use the whisk or spatula to gently stir until the cream thickens and just starts to bubble. Turn off the heat.
Add the butter and stir until fully incorporated into the cream.
If the cream is too lumpy and not smooth, you can fix it by straining it through a sieve. Lumpy cream is considered spoiled. :)
Transfer the cream to a bowl; the larger the bowl, the quicker the cream will cool for refrigeration. To prevent a skin from forming on the surface while it cools or when storing in the refrigerator, cover the surface of the cream with cling film, pressing it directly against the surface as shown in the picture and video.

Wishing everyone success. This is a basic recipe for many other delicious and high-quality creams, including Nutella cream, pistachio cream, chocolate cream, chestnut cream, and more. Anyone passionate about baking should know how to make this cream. And if you want to meet the standard of a woman from the 1930s like Grandma Anella, you definitely need to know how to make it! Hehe!!