Irish Cream Pastry Cream
A pastry cream is similar to a very thick pudding, yet thicker and more stable with the addition of starch and eggs. It is rich, creamy and delicious. This Irish Cream Pastry Cream is a variation of a pastry cream technique, which is an important recipe to have in your baking repertoire. This recipe, and other pastry cream recipes can be used as a filling for cakes, pies, donut | doughnuts, tarts, pastries and so much more. If you want to use this pastry cream as a mousse, just fold in whipped cream to soften the texture and it can be used in a trifle or as a frosting for cupcakes.
To make this Irish Cream Pastry Cream more flavorful and unique, try making your own Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur. It adds more richness, more complexity and more umami dairy elements.
Makes: 2 1/2 cups of pastry cream or 3 1/2 cups pastry mousse.
Adapted from BeerAdvocate Magazine: Cuisine à la Bière| Mar 2014 | Issue #86
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 2 1/2 cup | 10 minute |
| Cook Time |
| 20 minute |
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A rich pastry cream recipe, infused with the flavors of Irish Cream Liqueur. this Irish Cream Pastry Cream recipe is perfect for fillings in cakes, donut | doughnuts or other pastries.
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- 2 1/2 cup milk, whole preferably organic
- 2 each vanilla beans, preferably Tahitian, split in half and seeds scraped out
- 6 each egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar, light brown
- 1/4 cup sugar, organic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, kosher
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup flour, all-purpose
- 1/2 cup Irish Cream Liqueur recipe HERE or Bailey's Irish Cream
- 2 tablespoon Irish Whiskey, such as Jameson Irish Whiskey or Bushmills Original
- In a medium-size saucepan, add the milk and vanilla bean. To prepare the vanilla bean, slice in half lengthwise, and use the edge of a knife to scrape the seeds out of the pod and into the milk; place over low heat. Let the contents come to a simmer, about 6 minutes.
- As the milk warms, in a stainless-steel bowl, add the egg yolks (saving the whites for another use), both sugars and salt. Whisk until the yolks are pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Note that if this is done too far in advance, the yolks will “cook” and become grainy. Sift in the cornstarch and flour on top of the eggs, and whisk to form a smooth paste.
- In a medium-size heatproof bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together. (Do not let the mixture sit too long or pieces of egg will start forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.
- Once the milk infusion just starts to bubble around the edges of the pan, remove the vanilla bean pod. Using a ladle, slowly pour a few ounces of the warm milk onto the egg paste, whisking to temper the eggs and preventing them from curdling. Add another ladle-full of the milk to the egg mixture, and whisk again. (Rinse off the pod and let dry. Once it’s dry, you can add it to a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar.)
- Pour the tempered egg mixture into the pan, whisking to incorporate. Increase the heat to medium while whisking continually, bringing the pastry cream to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, the pastry cream will begin to thicken over the next minute. Continue to whisk as it thickens, then add in the Irish Cream and Irish whiskey. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl fitted with a sieve, and strain to refine the smooth sauce further. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming on the surface. Let cool to room temperature before using.
- The pastry cream can be made in advance and will hold for up to three days refrigerated. Remember to whisk before using to smooth out the mixture if prepared in advance.
Uses for Irish Pastry Cream:
- Make the Chocolate Irish Stout Cake, layer it with the Irish Pastry Cream as a filling along with Irish Whiskey Smoked Salt Caramel Sauce to make a Irish Layered Cake.
- A Filling for Chocolate Irish Stout Cupcakes
- Make the Bailey's Irish Pastry Cream into a mousse and use as a layer in a Irish Trifle with Irish Stout Soaked Currants
Irish Cream Pastry Cream Recipe Variations:
Bailey's Irish Cream Mousse: To make a mousse out of the pastry cream, fold in 1 cup of whipped heavy cream, that has been whipped to a soft peak.
Chocolate Stout Pastry Cream: Add 2 ounces of dark chocolate shavings to the hot milk, whisking to incorporate, and replace the 1/2 cup of Irish Cream with Stout (Irish, Oatmeal or Imperial).
Recipes That Use This Recipe:
Other Pastry Cream Recipes:
