Caramel Pastry Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Stir together the milk, salt, vanilla bean and seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar has just dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Continue to whisk until smooth. (This is called tempering, and it will prevent the yolks from scrambling.) Continue whisking and adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until completely combined and smooth.
• Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Before serving, whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray 4 heatproof 6.5-oz. ramekins with vegetable spray. Place ramekins in a casserole dish.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat. When sugar begins to melt around the edges, gently shake the pan continually, swirling sugar around, until all the sugar melts; don't use utensils to stir. When sugar is completely melted and dark brown, remove the pan from heat.
• Quickly pour equal amounts of caramel syrup into the 4 prepared ramekins.
• Place 1 egg and 3 egg yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes frothy, about 1 minute.
• Spoon the creme fraiche into the egg mixture; add the milk, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Whisk together until ingredients are completely mixed.
• Ladle mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Fill casserole with hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place casserole on middle rack of preheated oven.
• Bake until just barely set, 45 to 50 minutes. You can start checking for doneness at about 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the ramekins from the casserole to a cooling rack. When just slightly warm, run a sharp paring knife around the edge of each custard.
• To unmold, cover ramekin with a small plate, then invert. Chill before serving.

Steps:

• For the pie:.
• In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, salt, cornstarch, and flour. Over medium-low heat, slowly whisk in the milk.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Once the pastry cream starts to boil, transfer 1/2 cup of the pastry cream to the egg yolks and whisk to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and is smooth and thick. Strain.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, and vanilla. Stir in 1 cup sliced bananas. Allow the mixture to cool.
• Stir the custard to loosen, if necessary. Cover the bottom of the prepared crust with more sliced bananas and drizzle with 1/4 cup Salted Caramel Sauce. Top with half of the sliced bananas, then 1 cup custard, covering the bananas completely. Repeat layering with the remaining bananas and the remaining custard. Chill the banana cream pie until the filling is set, about 2 hours.
• For the topping:
• In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form.
• Top the chilled pie with the fresh whipped cream. Drizzle with additional Caramel Sauce, just before serving.
• Perfect Pie Dough:.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla; cut or work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers or a cold pastry cutter until you have large pea sized chunks scattered throughout. Alternatively, pulse the dough in a food processor, or mix in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed.
• Add the ice water slowly while stirring with a fork, or in the food processor or mixer, until just combined. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, flatten and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Roll out one chilled pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Reserve the second pie dough disc for another use. Transfer dough to pie plate, pressing the dough lightly into the plate; trim the edges. Dock the dough with the prongs of a fork evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. Line the docked dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake the pie crust until the edges are brown and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the weights. Return crust to the oven to finish baking for another 5 minutes.
• Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie crust.
• Salted Caramel Sauce:.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt, to taste. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups sauce.
• Cook's Note:
• This recipe will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat before serving.

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture boils and sugar dissolves, washing down sides of pan often with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until sugar turns dark amber, 5 to 7 minutes more. Immediately remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 1 cup cream. Return to medium heat, and cook until sugar melts completely and mixture boils.
• Remove from heat, and pour into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let caramel cool, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche, vanilla, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.
• Just before using, beat remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into caramel sauce, using a rubber spatula, until incorporated. Whisk to thicken, about 1 minute.

Steps:

• Prepare cups to package directions. While baking the cups you can make your caramel sauce.
• Using a medium sized sauce pan pour in the water and sugar. Over medium low heat continually stir using a rubber (not wood) spatula until sugar is completely dissolved. Approximately 4 minutes.
• Turn heat to medium high. STOP stirring and let mixture boil until it starts to turn a golden brown Approximately 6-7 minutes.(SEE PHOTOS).
• Lift pan directly above the heat and swirl the pan around until the sugar turns a dark brown Approximately 1-2 minutes.(SEE PHOTOS).
• Add butter, cream and 1/8 teaspoon salt and continue swirling until everything is mixed together. Using a spatula continue stirring until completely mixed. Let cool. (SEE PHOTOS) Here's a hint when it comes to cleaning the pan of stuck on candy -- rinse out the pan with hot water first. Then add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup white vinegar and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2-3 minutes. Empty water/vinegar mix and wash normally. The pan will be completely clean.
• Once the cups are cooled and the caramel is cooled take ice cream out of the freezer and let stand at room temp for 1 minute until slightly soft. Spoon ice cream into each cup. Place filled cups on plate and stick back in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or until ready to serve. While the cups are in the freezer you can make the chocolate sauce.
• Place the milk chocolate chips in a glass mixing bowl and add half & half. Microwave for 15 seconds. Take out and stir (even though the chips are still hard stir them around). Place back in microwave for another 15 seconds. Take out and stir until all the morsels are completely melted.
• Take your ice cream filled cups and drizzle caramel sauce then chocolate sauce then caramel sauce over each cup. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each cup then serve.
• If you have left overs you can put back in the freezer covered and when ready to serve let sit out for 1 minute so the ice cream can soften slightly.