BALDANZA’S ITALIAN CREAM
[recipe from Baldanza’s Italian Bakery in Long Branch, NJ, now closed]
This was positively the best filling for Italian Pastries such as Cream Puffs, Eclairs, Nappolians, and other Italian Pastries that had a similar filling. This bakery always made their own filling and did not scoop it out of a can like many of the commercial bakeries today. My brother used to work as a Bakers assistant in their kitchen and saved the recipe, thank God, as they are no longer in business. This is a classic! Enjoy!
1 ½ QUARTS MILK
1 CUP SUGAR
STIR TOGETHER MILK AND SUGAR IN A 3 QT. SAUCEPAN OVER MED. HEAT WITH A WIRE WISK.
CONTINUE STIRRING UNTIL MILK ALMOST COME TO A BOIL.
WHILE MILK IS HEATING UP MIX TOGETHER THE FOLLOWING:
4 EGG YOLKS
2 HEAPING TABLESPOONS CORNSTARCH
3 HEAPING TABLESPOONS FLOUR
2 HEAPING TABLESPOONS SUGAR
1 TABLESPOON VANILLA FLAVOR
STIR EGGS WITH LARGE SPOON OR SMALL WISK IN MIXING BOWL. ADD CORNSTARCH GRADUALLY UNTIL MIXTURE IS SMOOTH AND STICKY. ADD A LITTLE MILK FROM THE SAUCEPAN UNTIL MIXTURE IS RUNNY. STIR MIXTURE AND ADD FLOUR WHILE STIRRING CONSTANTLY. MIXTURE SHOULD BE KIND OF THICK. ADD MORE MILK FROM PAN AND CONTINUE STIRRING UNTILL SMOOTH AND RUNNY. ADD SUGAR AND 1 TABLESPOON REAL VANILLA FLAVOR. BEFORE PAN MIXTURE COMES TO A BOIL SLOWLY POUR IN EGG MIXTURE WHILE STIRRING WITH THE WISK. CONTINUE STIRRING UNTIL IT COMES TO A SLOW BOIL. LET COOL AND THEN REFRIGERATE UNTIL READY TO USE . USE FOR CREAMPUFFS, EGGCLAIRS, CAKE-FILLING , OR PUT IN PUDDING CUPS AND EAT LIKE PUDDING ( LIKE I DO). YOU MAY HAVE TO ADJUST THE AMOUNT OF SUGAR ADDING MORE OR LESS TO SUIT YOUR TASTE.
REMEMBER, AS YOU ENJOY EATING THIS, THE GOOD OLD DAYS AT THE BAKERY, MAKING $1.40 AN HR. AND EATING ALL THE PASTRY(creampuffs, etc) YOU COULD STUFF DOWN YOUR MOUTH WHEN JOSIE WASN’T LOOKING. ENJOY