Creme Patisserie Dairy Free
Creme Patisserie, or pastry cream, made with dairy-free ingredients. Use real vanilla beans or good quality pure vanilla extract for the best finish.
Creme Patisserie, or Pastry Cream, is a staple in the pastry kitchen. A rich custard of milk, eggs and a thickening agent, such as corn starch, then finished, or “mounded” with cold butter, this becomes the base of so many custards, mousses and fillings. Chantilly is pastry cream with whipped cream folded in to make it lighter. Diplomat is the same as Chantilly, only also contains gelatin for a more stable cream. “Creme Pat”, as it’s also called, is what’s used to make banana and coconut cream pies, the base for fruit tarts, filling for cream puffs and can be flavored in many different ways. Adding cocoa powder makes a rich chocolate creme pat.
So of course, I needed a dairy-free version of this staple, I turned to my trusty ingredient, the can of organic, full-fat coconut milk. I substituted the corn starch with arrowroot, and used ghee to mound instead of full butter. The result was just as rich and creamy. Since the coconut milk already has a sweet flavor profile, a little honey goes a long way. And, as with any baking recipe, following the method precisely will get you the best results. Make a batch and be sure to cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface, as this will prevent it getting a “skin”. Chill it completely before continuing with any recipe to ensure it thickens completely. You can re-whip it in the mixer with the whip attachment, then fold in flavorings or additional whipped coconut cream by hand. The possibilities are endless.
Creme Patisserie Dairy Free
Ingredients
- 300 ml coconut milk (one can is 400 ml, so reserve a small portion)
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 Tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 2 Tablespoons grass fed ghee, chilled
- 1 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
Method
- Measure 300 ml of coconut milk and pour into a small saucepan. Place over medium heat. Bring milk temperature to just below a boil, or scalding. (The milk is ready when you will see small bubbles forming around the perimeter, but it's not yet boiling. Do not allow to boil).
- If using a vanilla bean, drop it into the coconut milk and let it warm and plump as the milk heats.
- While waiting for the coconut milk to come to temperature, mix the remaining coconut milk and arrowroot starch together. This is the "laiason". Doing this first ensures that the arrowroot doesn't settle in the liquid.
- Combine the egg yolks and honey in a separate bowl, then add the laiason, stirring with a whisk to completely combine.
- Just before the milk reaches the scalding temperature, remove the vanilla bean from the milk. Using the flat side of a paring knife, press on it slightly along the length, then slice it open lengthwise. Use the point of the knife to scrape out the vanilla beans and place them into the milk before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. (Skip this step if using extract.)
- Once the milk is at the scalding stage, add about one third of hot milk to the egg yolk mixture. Stir to completely mix in and temper, or warm, the yolk mixture.
- Add the tempered yolk mixture to the sauce pan and stir constantly on medium heat, until thickened. This should not take too long, 4 to 5 minutes at the most.
- Remove from heat and add the cold ghee, mixing with a whisk to be sure it's completely incorporated. If using vanilla extract, add it last.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl or onto a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover completely with plastic wrap touching the surface, otherwise it will form a skin.
- Refrigerate until completely cooled. This will help it to thicken as well. Proceed by using the creme pat for any filling in a pastry recipe. Such as filling for the ChouxNuts.
