Pie and Pastry Bible (156 page)

The completed pastry cream is most easy to pipe either immediately after completion or after 30 minutes of chilling, while it is still very smooth and soft and the gelatin has not yet had a chance to set completely. If it has been held longer and is no longer smooth and soft enough to pipe, it can be softened by placing it briefly over a pot of hot water, folding it gently with a large whisk or rubber spatula. Care must be taken, however, not to overheat the mixture, as the whipped cream will lose some of its aeration if warmed. Alternatively, if you are planning to make the pastry cream ahead, wait until shortly before using it to add the whipped cream. Soften the pastry cream over the hot water and be sure it is not warm before adding the whipped cream.

UNDERSTANDING

Cornstarch protects the yolks from curdling when boiled. The mixture must be boiled to activate the cornstarch’s thickening ability.

This recipe is similar to classic pastry cream, but instead of 2 cups of half-and-half, it uses 1½ cups of milk, and instead of 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, it uses only 2 tablespoons, because the 2 teaspoons of gelatin, which aerates it, also thickens it enough to accommodate the 1½ cups of heavy cream, whipped to add further lightness.

FRUIT CURDS AND CURD CREAMS

(Lime, Juice Orange, Blood Orange, Bitter Seville Orange, and Passion Fruit)

Fruit curd is actually a custard that depends on the high acidity of the fruit, in combination with egg yolks and butter, to achieve its gloriously silken texture without the addition of a starch thickener. This results in an utterly uncompromised purity of liltingly bright flavor.

Fruit curd is one of the most delightful and useful components in the dessert kingdom. Lemon has always been the queen of curds, described as capturing sunshine in a jar. But I’ve discovered that passion fruit takes curd to new heights, difficult to describe other than to say it brings to mind words like
tropical
and
tantalizing
and
addicting.
The lime and orange curds are like pure concentrations of these often illusive flavors. They taste the way one hopes for the best variety of this fruit to be at its peak of ripeness and freshness.

Fold whipped cream or meringue into curd and you have a lighter and more mellow filling or topping that is an unrivaled partner for fresh fruit. A little curd folded into plain yogurt does wonders to enliven it. Curd also serves as the base for the most creamy, flavorful chiffon pie and ice creams (see Lemon-Luscious Ice Cream, page 235, and Pure Passion Ice Cream, page 237).

Different citrus fruits vary in flavor intensity and acidity, thereby requiring differing amounts of sugar. The stronger the acid and the less sugar used, the sooner the curd thickens (the lower the finished temperature). Each one of these fruit variations has been worked out carefully, taking these factors into consideration and resulting in the most intensely pure flavor of each fruit.

It is rare that I would recommend a commercial product to replace a homemade one, but, when time is a factor, it’s helpful to know that Tiptree makes an exceptionally high quality lemon curd (very close to homemade) with no additives (and the same yield as this recipe), and it can be used in any recipe calling for lemon curd.

CLASSIC LEMON CURD

Have ready near the range a strainer suspended over a medium bowl that contains the lemon zest.

In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, beat the yolks and sugar until well blended. Stir in the lemon juice, butter, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until the mixture is thickened and resembles hollandaise sauce; it should thickly coat a wooden spoon but still be liquid enough to pour. The mixture will change from translucent to opaque and begin to take on a yellow color on the back of the spoon; it must not be allowed to boil, or it will curdle. Whenever steam appears, remove the pan briefly from the heat, stirring constantly to keep the mixture from boiling. When the mixture has thickened (196°F on an accurate thermometer), pour it at once into the strainer. Press with the back of a spoon until only the coarse residue remains. Discard the residue (or enjoy it as a treat—it tastes great). Gently stir in the zest and allow it to cool.

VARIATIONS

For all variations, the amount of fruit juice and sugar varies but the yolks, butter, and salt remain constant.

LIME CURD
Lime is one of the most difficult flavors to describe and yet it has a strong and irreplaceable hold on flavor memory. It has a fresh sour tartness that is
just right. Though often thought of as a less interesting cousin to lemon, in a drink and in certain flavor combinations, lemon would overpower instead of blend and is simply not its equal. Though lime juice is really pale yellow, it somehow tastes as if it is green. This curd captures lime’s essence. It blends perfectly with both blueberry and kiwi—it serves as the cream base for the kiwi tart (page 271) and can be used to replace the lemon curd in the blueberry tart (page 258).

Replace the lemon zest with an equal amount of lime zest and the lemon juice with an equal amount of freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 3 small limes). Decrease the sugar to ½ cup (3.5 ounces/100 grams). The finished temperature is 1850R If desired, for a pale green color, gently stir 2 drops of liquid green food color into the finished curd. (Makes 1 cup/9¼ ounces/262 grams.)

BITTER SEVILLE ORANGE CURD
Orange juice always seems to lose its flavor when combined with other ingredients, except when it’s from a Seville variety. This is the orange used to make marmalade. It makes an orange curd with the truest orange flavor, sweet-sour like a sour ball. In fact, the flavor seems to bounce around in your mouth, it is so alive and vibrant. Seville oranges are very thick skinned and the zest would produce a horrid taste in the curd, so be sure to use navel orange zest. The curd is a beautiful bright gold flecked with orange zest. Seville oranges have a short season, but the juice freezes perfectly for several months.

Replace the lemon zest with 4 teaspoons (8 grams) navel orange zest and the lemon juice with an equal amount of bitter Seville orange juice (from about 1½ oranges). Use the same amount of sugar for a more tart curd or decrease it to
cup (4.6 ounces/132 grams). The finished temperature is 185°F. (Makes 1 cup plus almost 2 tablespoons/approx. 10.5 ounces/296 grams.)

BLOOD ORANGE CURD
Blood oranges are delicious, but they are not as intensely flavored, or acidic, as Seville oranges. Reducing the juice by half concentrates the flavor and intensifies the color. This curd can vary in color from deep rose to purple. The darker the blood orange skin, the deeper the color of the flesh. Blood oranges from Sicily have the most delicious flavor. Balducci’s (see page 676) has frozen blood orange juice available all year around.

Use the same amount of zest as for lemon curd, but start with 1 cup of juice (from about 4 oranges) and reduce it to ½ cup (see Pointers below). Decrease the sugar to ½ cup (3.5 ounces/100 grams). The finished temperature is 185°F. (Makes 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/approx. 11 ounces/311 grams.)

JUICE ORANGE CURD
This orange has a lovely flavor but is far less intense than blood or bitter oranges, so the juice must be reduced by three quarters and the curd requires more orange zest. A touch (about ¼ teaspoon) of fine-quality orange oil (see page 638) does wonders to intensify the flavor.

Use navel orange zest and increase the zest to ¼ cup (scant 1 ounce/24 grams). Start with 2 cups of juice (from about 8 juice oranges) and reduce it (in two batches if using the microwave) to ½ cup (see Pointers below). Decrease the sugar
to
cup (4.6 ounces/132 grams). Add the zest before cooking the curd and do not strain it. If desired, gently stir in ½ teaspoon of fine-quality orange oil at the end. The finished temperature is 180°F. (Makes a scant 1½ cups/14 ounces/400 grams.)

PASSION FRUIT CURD
Passion fruit has an aromatic, tropical, and near-addictive aroma and flavor. The king of all curds, passion fruit curd is wonderful in a tart and beyond sublime in ice cream (page 237), particularly served with peach pie (page 124).

Replace the lemon juice with 5 fluid ounces (10 tablespoons/4.75 ounces/136 grams) of passion fruit juice
^*
(from 6 to 7 passion fruit). Add 6 tablespoons with the yolk mixture and gently stir the remaining 4 tablespoons into the strained curd. (Uncooked, it offers more aromatic vibrancy.) Decrease the sugar to
cup (4.6 ounces/132 grams). The finished temperature is 190°F. (Makes 1 cup + 6 tablespoons/12.5 ounces/355 grams, or 1 cup + 2 tablespoons/approx. 11.5 ounces/323 grams, if using the concentrate.)

STORE

Refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 3 weeks. (Longer storage dulls the fresh citrus flavor.)

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS

For finely grated zest, use a zester (page 661), a vegetable peeler, or a fine grater to remove the colored portion only of the peel. The white pith beneath is bitter. If using the zester or peeler, finish by chopping the zest with a sharp knife.