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Puddings and Creams
Crema Pasticcera (Traditional Italian Lemon-Flavored Pastry Cream)
Originated from: Rome, Lazio, Italy
Occasion: Weddings, Baptisms and other special events
Contributed by: Mary Melfi

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Ingredients

Italian Custard
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups scalded (whole) milk
2 to 3 tablespoons flour



Directions

Mix egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla.

Slowly add hot milk, beating constantly.

Add flour, beating constantly.

Place mixture in a sauce pan and cook over low heat until it boils and then thickens, all the while stirring it (and making sure it does not burn).

Cool.

Use to layer "Pagne di Spagne," or Zuppa Inglese or in fruit pies.




Notes

This recipe was adapted from Alexander Lenard's book entitled "The Fine Art of Roman Cooking." The book was written nearly fifty years ago and is now out of print. The author, a German chef, investigated the cookery of Rome in the late 1950s and produced this book. All of the recipes in his book are traditional and come very close to what the parents of many second generation North Americans do (or did) at home. However, something must have been lost in the translation (The book was first published in German) because a quite number of his recipes don't quite work (the measurements are wrong). For this particular recipe Alexander Lenard does not include flour, but does include butter. Perhaps professional chefs can make a custard without the use of flour but most amateur cooks have difficulty doing this. I know I did. Adding flour makes this a very easy pastry cream to do (Doesn't even require a double boiler!) and the taste is just right. Photo: Mary Melfi

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