Food guide on desserts

2. Custards, Foams,
and Buttercreams
46

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• Recognize the different forms of custards and
their uses in the pastry kitchen.
Objective

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• Are thickened with egg
products and
sometimes starch
• Some are prepared on
the stovetop while
others are cooked in
the oven
Custards

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• Custards prepared on
the stovetop are
sometimes called
stirred custards
• Pastry cream and
crème anglaise are
both prepared on the
stovetop
Stirred Custards

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continued
• Pastry cream is a stirred custard thickened with
starch and egg yolks
• The egg yolks require tempering to prevent
curdling when added to the hot ingredients
• Its French name is crème pâtissière (KREHM pah
tis EEYHR)
• Dessert preparations containing pastry cream must
be refrigerated until service
Pastry Cream

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continued
• There are many options for flavoring pastry cream
such as
– vanilla
– milk infused with spices
– chocolate
– a splash of extract or liqueur
Pastry Cream

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• Crème mousseline
(moo seh LEEN) is
made from pastry
cream
Pastry Cream

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continued
1. Whip egg yolks and sugar until sugar is
dissolved. The mixture will become pale
yellow and thicken. Flavorings are often
added to this mixture.
2. Add flour and/or cornstarch to the egg yolk
and sugar mixture. Whip briefly to incorporate
the flour or cornstarch.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
3. Boil milk in a thick-bottomed nonaluminum
saucepan. Flavorings, such as vanilla bean,
are sometimes added to the milk.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
4. Add half of the milk
to the egg yolk
mixture while stirring
constantly with a
whisk.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
5. Pour the milk and egg yolk mixture back into
the remaining milk in the saucepan. Stir until
incorporated.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
6. Place saucepan over
medium heat and stir
continuously using a
whisk. Scrape the
bottom of the pot with
the whisk to ensure
that the custard does
not stick to the bottom
and burn.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
7. Once the pastry cream has come to a full boil,
reduce heat and simmer for 1–2 additional
minutes. It is important that the pastry cream
comes to a full boil so the starch thickens
completely. If the pastry cream is not cooked
enough, it will not thicken and will taste
starchy.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
8. Remove the pan
from the heat. Stir in
butter until it melts.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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continued
9. Pour pastry cream into
a shallow container.
Place plastic wrap
directly on top of the
pastry cream. Chill on
ice or in a blast chiller
in accordance with
local health department
guidelines.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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9. Store chilled pastry cream in the cooler until
needed.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Pastry Cream

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• Crème anglaise (KREHM ahn GLAYZ) is
thickened solely by egg yolks
• Crème anglaise is done when
– it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden
spoon, or
– it reaches between 180°F and 185°F (82°C and
85°C)
• As with pastry cream, it is highly perishable and
must be refrigerated
Crème Anglaise

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continued
1. Combine egg yolks and sugar and whip until
sugar is dissolved. The mixture will become
pale yellow and thicken. Flavorings are often
added to this mixture.
2. Bring milk to a boil in a thick-bottomed,
nonaluminum saucepan. Flavorings, such as
vanilla beans, can be added to the milk.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Crème Anglaise

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continued
3. Pour half of the
milk into the egg
yolk mixture while
stirring constantly
with a whisk.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Crème Anglaise

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continued
4. Pour the milk and egg yolk mixture back into
the remaining milk in the saucepan. Stir until
incorporated.
5. Place the saucepan over medium heat and
stir continuously using a heat-proof spatula or
wooden spoon. Be sure to scrape the bottom
of the pot with each stir.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Crème Anglaise

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continued
6. Heat the crème
anglaise just until it is
thick enough to coat
the back of the
spatula or spoon, or
until it reaches
180°F–185°F (82°C–
85°C).
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Crème Anglaise

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7. Immediately remove from heat and strain
through a chinois. Chill on ice until completely
cold and store in the refrigerator until needed.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Crème Anglaise

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Is cooked
– in the oven
– to the point where it sets
up or solidifies
– in dishes that are placed
in a bain marie in the
oven
Baked Custard

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• Prepare a variety of foams used in dessert
preparations.
Objective

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• Created by incorporating large amounts of air
bubbles usually into cream or egg whites
• Provide the base for whipped topping, meringue,
mousse, and Bavarian cream
Foams

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continued
• Made from heavy cream
with a minimum butterfat
content of 36 percent
Whipped Cream

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continued
• Cold cream is beaten at
high speed with a wire
whisk
• If the cream warms
even slightly, it will not
hold the air bubbles
Whipped Cream

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continued
• Most whipped cream is used between the soft and
firm peak stages
Whipped Cream

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continued
• Overwhipping destroys the whipped cream
• Whipped cream must be kept cold after it is made
Whipped Cream

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• Sugar is whisked into whipped cream at soft peak
stage to produce crème chantilly (KREHM shahn
tee YEE)
• Other ways to flavor whipped cream include adding
– cocoa powder
– liqueurs
– vanilla extract
Whipped Cream

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continued
• There are three types of meringue—French,
Swiss, and Italian
• Egg whites should be at room temperature to assist
the whipping process
• As egg whites are whipped
– large amounts of air are trapped in a protein
structure
– they develop soft and then firm peaks
Meringue

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continued
• Overwhipping destroys a meringue
• Fat prevents the whites from whipping properly
• If meringue is not cooked, it will lose volume and
break down
Meringue

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• Meringue is used to
– top pies
– add volume to soufflés
– lighten mousses or icings
• When baked, it can serve as a
– tart shell
– layer in a cake
– cookie
Meringue

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continued
To prepare French meringue,
• whip egg whites until soft peaks form
• add some of the sugar to the whites
• whip until they reach firm peak
• fold in the rest of the sugar
French Meringue

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continued
• Pipe meringue into
various shapes and
bake at very low oven
temperatures
French Meringue

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• The low temperatures
ensure that the final
product is white and
not a shade of brown
French Meringue

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continued
To prepare Swiss meringue,
• combine the egg whites and all of the sugar and
mix over boiling water until it reaches 100 F (38 C)
• remove from heat and whip until it reaches firm
peaks
Swiss Meringue

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• Swiss meringue is slightly heavier and more stable
than French
• Pipe into shapes and bake at low temperatures
Swiss Meringue

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continued
To prepare Italian meringue,
• prepare a hot sugar and water syrup
• slowly pour hot syrup onto the egg whites as they
are beaten at high speeds using an electric mixer
• beat until meringue is glossy, thick, and light
Italian Meringue

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• Because the hot syrup cooks the egg whites,
– the foam is more stable and heavier than either
French or Swiss meringue
– it is safe to consume without further cooking
• Italian meringue is often added to other pastry
preparations since it does not break down
Italian Meringue

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continued
• There are many different
flavors of mousses and
Bavarian creams
• Both can be served on
their own either molded or
scooped
Mousse and Bavarian Cream

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• Mousses and
Bavarian creams are
often combined with
other ingredients to
make complex
desserts
Mousse and Bavarian Cream

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continued
1. Dissolve or melt bloomed gelatin in a small
amount of fruit purée or other liquid using
tempering method. At this point, the gelatin is
very concentrated. If it is not thoroughly and
quickly stirred into the fruit purée, small hard
balls of gelatin may form.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Fruit-Based Mousse

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continued
2. Whisking constantly, add the fruit purée and
gelatin mixture back into the remainder of the
fruit purée.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Fruit-Based Mousse

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continued
3. Fold whipped cream
into the fruit purée and
gelatin mixture. Some
chefs also add Italian
meringue. Fold
whipped cream into
mixture gently while
rotating the bowl.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Fruit-Based Mousse

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continued
3. This folding technique keeps the whipped
cream from deflating. Overmixing or mixing
too energetically causes the whipped cream
to deflate and results in a heavy mousse.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Fruit-Based Mousse

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4. Once the mousse mixture is assembled, ladle
it into containers. Refrigerate mousse for
12 hours before serving. In the refrigerator,
the mousse sets up as the gelatin hardens.
5. Refrigerate mousse until service.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Fruit-Based Mousse

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continued
1. Melt chocolate in a bain marie.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Chocolate Mousse

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continued
2. Fold whipped cream and perhaps some
Italian meringue into the melted chocolate.
Fold the whipped cream into the melted
chocolate quickly so the cold whipped cream
does not cause the melted chocolate to
solidify. It should be noted that there is no
gelatin in this recipe—the fat in the chocolate
is sufficient to cause the mousse to set up.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Chocolate Mousse

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continued
3. Place chocolate mousse in the appropriate
molds and refrigerate for 6 hours. Chocolate
mousse sets up faster than gelatin-based fruit
mousse.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Chocolate Mousse

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4. Refrigerate mousse until served.
There are many different ways to prepare
chocolate mousse. This is one of the easiest
methods. Recipes containing raw whipped egg
whites should not be prepared for food safety
reasons.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Chocolate Mousse

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continued
1. Prepare a crème anglaise according to the
instructions in this chapter.
2. Stir bloomed or softened gelatin into the
warm crème anglaise until dissolved.
3. Chill the gelatin and crème anglaise mixture
in an ice bath. Stir mixture often with a
spatula so it does not solidify on the bottom of
the bowl.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Bavarian Cream

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4. Fold in the whipped cream once the gelatin
and crème anglaise mixture is cold but still
liquid.
5. Pour Bavarian cream into molds and
refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing Bavarian Cream

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• Compare the two types of buttercream.
Objective

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continued
• Most often used as fillings and frostings for cakes
Buttercreams

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continued
• Buttercream is very stable and is not extremely
sensitive to heat
• Two common types of buttercream are American
and French
• Both can be flavored in many different ways
Buttercreams

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continued
• American buttercream is
– also known as simple buttercream or frosting
– very sweet
– stable in hot conditions
– easy to prepare and preferred by many pastry shops
Buttercreams

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• French buttercream is
– more complicated to make, richer, and less sweet
then American buttercream
– less stable in hot environments
Buttercreams

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continued
1. Beat softened butter using an electric mixer
fitted with a paddle attachment. Set mixer at a
fairly high speed.
2. Once the butter is very soft, add powdered
sugar a little at a time. Flavoring is added
along with the powdered sugar.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing American Buttercream

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3. Once the buttercream is homogenous, it is
ready to be used. Store buttercream in the
refrigerator if it is not going to be used
immediately.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing American Buttercream

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continued
1. Prepare a syrup by boiling sugar and water.
2. Place egg yolks in the bowl of an electric
mixer.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing French Buttercream

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continued
3. Run the mixer on high speed with the whisk
attachment. Slowly pour the hot syrup on the
egg yolks as the mixer is running. The hot
syrup will cook the egg yolks. The egg yolks
will become light and fluffy. Allow the mixer to
continue on high speed until the egg yolk
mixture is cool.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing French Buttercream

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continued
4. Turn the mixer speed to medium. Add
softened butter a small amount at a time. If
the butter is added too fast, the butter is too
cold, or the egg mixture is too hot, the
buttercream can separate. Add flavorings.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing French Buttercream

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5. Once the buttercream is homogenous, it is
ready to be used. Store buttercream in the
refrigerator if it is not going to be used
immediately.
TECHNIQUE:
Preparing French Buttercream

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continued
• How do the cooking methods for stirred and
baked custards differ?
– Stirred custards are cooked on the stovetop
– Baked custards are cooked in the oven
Review

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continued
• Name the two types of stirred custards
– Pastry cream
– Crème anglaise
Review

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continued
• When making whipped cream, why should you
start with cold cream?
– If the cream warms even slightly, it will not be
able to hold the air bubbles
Review

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continued
• Name the three types of meringues
– French
– Swiss
– Italian
Review

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continued
• Describe mousses
– Mousses are lightened by whipped cream and
thickened by either gelatin or fat
Review

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continued
• Describe Bavarian cream
– Bavarian cream is made by thickening crème
anglaise with gelatin and lightening it with
whipped cream
Review

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• Name the two types of buttercreams
– American
– French
Review