Types of Strudel

• Strudels can be sweet or savory, but pastry cream pairs best with sweet strudels. Classic apple strudel is made from diced apples, raisins, sugar, cinnamon and roasted breadcrumbs. Prepared apple filling is spread over strudel dough, and then rolled into a log, which creates a whirlpool effect when cut. Once baked to a golden-brown, strudel is served with whipping cream, ice cream or pastry cream. Strudel variations include a poppy seed strudel, cheese strudel, nut strudel and pumpkin strudel. All variations pair well with a thick or thinned-out pastry cream.

Fundamentals of Pastry Cream

• Pastry cream is often used to fill pastries, cakes and tarts but also works well as an accompaniment to pastries and desserts. Traditional recipes include cooking milk or cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla bean or extract on the stove and adding flour or cornstarch to thicken the custard. Creme anglaise, creamy, pourable custard uses the same ingredients and method as pastry cream without the addition of cornstarch or flour to thicken the sauce. Thick or thin, the rich and smooth texture of pastry cream pairs well to complement the flakiness of a strudel.

Flavor Pairings

• Almond flavoring complements apple, pear, plum, cherry, peach and cheese strudel, while spicy cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg complement apple, pumpkin and pear strudels. Adding 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract or a ground spice of your choice to each 1 1/2 cups of milk or cream, with or without the addition of vanilla, will infuse flavor in the milk during the cooking process. For a chocolate pastry cream, add chopped chocolate to warm milk or cream before adding the eggs, sugar and thickener. Chocolate pastry cream pairs well with cherry, cheese or berry strudel.

Pastry Cream Tips

• To create a smooth and lump-free pastry cream, whisk the eggs or yolks together with the sugar and cornstarch or flour. Once the milk or cream has heated, temper the egg mixture with a small amount of milk. Tempering brings up the temperature of the eggs and prevents curdling. Add the egg mixture to the remaining milk or cream and continue to cook on low until thickened. If desired, pass the cooked custard through a sieve with the back of a ladle. Cornstarch has twice as much thickening power as flour, so for every 1/4 cup of flour only use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. For a pourable creme anglaise, omit the cornstarch or flour.