This recipe is perfect for creating delicious Italian pastries with a soft, flavorful dough and creamy pastry cream filling. It combines orange zest, vanilla, and butter for an aromatic dough, along with a silky pastry cream to complement it.
Ingredients – Dough
- ⅔ cup whole milk, warmed to 100℉ (150ml)
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest from 1 orange
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 207 g 00 flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 207 g bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened and cubed (74g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Ingredients – Italian Pastry Cream
- 1 ⅔ cup whole milk (365g / 354ml)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 20 g cornstarch
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (75g)
- Pinch of salt
- ½ to 1 vanilla bean or ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of half an orange (optional)
Instructions – Dough Preparation
- Activate Yeast:
- In a large bowl, mix warm milk, a pinch of sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. If no bubbles form, the yeast may be inactive, or the milk was too hot.
- Mix Wet Ingredients:
- Whisk in the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Stir until smooth.
- Combine and Knead:
- Add both types of flour and salt to the bowl. Scatter the softened, cubed butter over the flour. Knead the mixture until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and tacky. The dough should stretch without tearing if kneaded properly.
- First Rise:
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a towel, and let it rise in a warm environment for 2-3 hours until tripled in size. (Tip: Turn on your oven for a couple of minutes, then turn it off to create a warm spot for the dough to rise.)
Instructions – Pastry Cream Preparation
- Whisk the Egg Mixture:
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and smooth. Add the cornstarch and whisk until fully combined.
- Heat the Milk:
- In a saucepan, heat the milk with the vanilla (or vanilla bean) over medium heat until bubbles form along the edges (do not boil).
- Temper the Eggs:
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Cook the Cream:
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the pinch of salt and orange zest (if using). Once thick, remove from heat.
- Cool the Cream:
- Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator.
Assembling and Serving
- Once the dough has risen, shape it into the desired pastry form (e.g., filled rolls, twists, or braided bread). Bake at 350°F (180°C) until golden brown. Cool the pastries, then pipe in the chilled pastry cream using a pastry bag.
Enjoy these delightful pastries with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of icing!