Keemun Pastry Cream
Serves: 4 cups
 
Ingredients
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 teaspoons loose Keemun black tea leaves
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 (0.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
  1. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and ¼ cup sugar.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Remove from heat, and add tea leaves. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain milk, and return to saucepan. Add vanilla bean and remaining ¼ cup sugar.
  3. Bring milk mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gradually pour milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture back into saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens.
  4. Transfer pastry cream to a large heatproof bowl. Discard vanilla bean. Add butter, stirring until incorporated. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream to keep it from forming a skin. Refrigerate until cold.
  5. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup cold water. Stir together, and let stand for 2 minutes. Microwave on low until granules dissolve, approximately 20 seconds. Add to chilled pastry cream, stirring well.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk whipping cream until medium peaks form. Fold into cold pastry cream in 2 additions. Use immediately.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/keemun-eclairs/