Hojicha Pastry Cream Filling (Printable Version)

Aromatic roasted tea custard with silky texture and nutty, mellow notes ideal for filling choux pastries.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups whole milk
02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Tea

03 - 3 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 3 hojicha tea bags

→ Eggs

04 - 4 large egg yolks

→ Sweeteners

05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

→ Starch & Flavorings

06 - 3 tablespoons cornstarch
07 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - Pinch of salt

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Heat milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Add hojicha tea, remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes.
02 - Strain milk through fine mesh sieve, pressing tea leaves to extract maximum flavor. Discard leaves.
03 - Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in mixing bowl until smooth and pale.
04 - Gradually pour warm hojicha-infused milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper eggs.
05 - Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 2-3 minutes.
06 - Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
07 - Transfer pastry cream to clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until completely cool and set.
08 - Before using, whisk briefly to smooth out cream. For lighter texture, fold in whipped cream before filling pastries.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted tea adds this incredible nutty depth that you cannot get from vanilla alone
  • It fills about 12 cream puffs which means plenty for sharing or secret midnight snacking
  • The chilling time actually works in your favor since this cream tastes even better the next day
02 -
  • Tempering eggs properly is non negotiable unless you want sweet scrambled bits in your pastry cream
  • That plastic wrap touching the surface is the only way to prevent an unappetizing skin from forming
03 -
  • Make this a day ahead since the flavors deepen and the cream firms up beautifully
  • If your cream seems lumpy after chilling, just whisk it vigorously until smooth again
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