A silky Italian custard scented with lemon. Milk is infused with zest, poured over egg yolks, sugar and flour, then cooked until thick and creamy. It fills tarts, cream puffs and sponge cakes, or can simply be served in a cup with fruit.
Info
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total time: 40 minutes
- Servings: about 1.2 liters (approx. 5 cups)
Ingredients
- Egg yolks: 4
- Sugar: 5.6 oz (approx. ¾ cup + 1 tbsp) (160 g)
- All-purpose flour: 3.5 oz (approx. ¾ cup + 1 tbsp) (100 g)
- Whole milk: 34 fl oz (approx. 4¼ cups) (1 l)
- Organic lemon zest: peel of 1 lemon
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the lemon zest and heat until it comes to a boil.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites (keep the whites for another use). Put the yolks in a bowl with the sugar and flour.
- Whisk until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
- Remove the lemon zest from the milk and pour the hot milk in a thin stream over the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil and turns thick and creamy.
- Transfer the cream to a container and cover it with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface, to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool it quickly, then refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
... and now, let's enjoy!
Tips
For a smooth, lump-free cream, whisk constantly while cooking and add the hot milk a little at a time. Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and keep the heat moderate so the cream doesn’t stick. To prevent a skin from forming, cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface.
Additional Info
Once cold, the cream keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, covered. Because it is brought to a boil, the egg yolks are fully cooked.
Substitutions & Variations
You can flavor the cream with a vanilla bean, orange zest or a few drops of pistachio extract. For a chocolate version, add dark chocolate while it is still hot. For a gluten-free cream, replace the flour with cornstarch or potato starch. You can also use plant-based drinks, such as soy or almond milk, instead of cow’s milk.
Serving Suggestions
Lemon pastry cream is perfect for filling tarts, cream puffs, cakes, sponge cake and cannoli. You can also serve it in individual cups with plain biscuits, fresh fruit or chocolate shavings. For a simple, fresh dessert, layer it with strawberries, berries or other seasonal fruit.
