Long time no post! I mean, seriously. It’s been too long since I post the last article on my kitchen. Living in San Francisco is pretty cool, but it is definitely expensive! Both of me and my husband must work to survive. My current job is not related to baking or photographing, but I love the people that I work with and my job is fun for the most of time. I have thought about how I can manage both my current job and updating my website well at the same time. Well, instead of just thinking about it – which I already have been doing over 6 months, I better just start doing it. So, here I go!

This will be my last post in 2010. I promise that I will see you more often next year, which starts…tomorrow!

What I want to share with you today is homemade Vanilla Sugar. Basically, ‘Vanilla Sugar’ is Vanilla infused sugar, in other words, vanilla bean + sugar. You will see lots of baking recipes that are calling ‘vanilla sugar’ as an ingredient, but may not sure where you can get it. I am not sure if people sell vanilla sugar, but I haven’t seen any ‘vanilla sugar’ in stores yet. If you have seen it, please let me know! I would love to try one!

Even a couple of years ago, I remember it wasn’t really easy to find fresh vanilla bean unless I go to special grocery store or online. However, it’s much easier to find fresh vanilla beans in any grocery stores these days as you can get them from Safeway (California Grocery Store Chain) or T.J.Maxx Gourmet Food Section. They are still pricey (1 Vanilla bean is $4-$5), but they are worth to have it!

Do you have used vanilla beans after you made cookies, cakes, or creme brulee? Then, it’s time to make vanilla sugar!

INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENTS

Equipments

Clean Airtight Container

Ingredients

Pure Cane Sugar
New or Used Vanilla Beans

HOW TO MAKE

Preparing the Container

I highly recommend to sanitize the container with the boiling water (for glassware) and the hot water (for plasticware). Make sure it is 100% dried before you put anything in there.

Preparing Vanilla Beans

You can either 1. cut in 3rd and split new vanilla beans or 2. clean used vanilla beans (after making cream brulee, ice cream base, or other sweet) with water and dry them.

Makinging Vanilla Sugar

Step 1: Pour cane sugar 1/3 way up to the container. There aren’t really exact amount or volume of ingredients for this recipe.

Step 2: Randomly stick vanilla beans among sugar.

I have gathered many used vanilla beans in a refrigerator over a few months – if you are wondering why I have so many.

Step 3: Pour cane sugar 2/3 way up to the container.

Step 4: Stick more vanilla beans if you have many. If not, don’t worry about it. Even one whole new vanilla bean will infuse sugar in this size of container over time.

Step 5: Fill up the container with the rest of sugar.

Label with date that you make this sugar! And, YES! some of my vanilla beans are from 2008!

ALEXA’S TIPS

You can use vanilla sugar for substituting any sugar on recipes.

Also, try with your coffee! It’s so good~~~~

Store: Airtight and store in cook and dark place (just like storing other sugar).

Make More: Just pour more sugar as you use vanilla sugar. Vanilla beans will keep infusing new sugar. If you have more used vanilla bean, just stick into the container after you clean and pat dry them. There is no expiration on the vanilla sugar!

TASTE REVIEW

Super delicious! I could just eat spoonful of vanilla sugar! haha!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

This is a basic pastry cream that you can use for various sweets such as tarts, cream puffs, eclairs, etc.

Once you’ve mastered the basic pastry cream, you can infuse it with other ingredients like vanilla bean, lavender, green tea and so on. I’ve tried several different pasty cream recipes, but I personally think this one is the best so far.

INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENTS

Ingredients for Pastry Cream – Makes about 2 cups

1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar (divided use)
2 cups whole milk (divided use)
4 large egg yolks
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

HOW TO MAKE

Making the Egg Mixture

1. Combine the cornstarch with the sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Lightly beat 4 egg yolks. (Vanilla extract is in the picture, but you don’t need it yet,
my bad…=])

3. Pour 1/2 cup of the milk and stir well with a whisk.
4. Blend the lightly beaten yolks into the cornstarch and sugar mixture.
5. Stir with a wooden spoon until it is completely smooth.

Making the Milk Mixture

6. In a stainless steel sauce pan or pot, combine the remaining 1 ½ cups milk and a pinch salt. Bring to a simmer (do not boil) and remove the pan from the heat.

Tempering

7. To temper, you can gradually add about one-third of the milk mixture at the time, but I like to drizzle the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture little by litte while I’m whisking, just in case. Don’t forget to whisk constantly!

Cooking the Pastry Cream

8. Return the mixture to the saucepan and continue cooking over low-medium heat, vigorously stir with a whisk until the mixture comes to a boil and the whisk leaves a trail in the pastry cream. (It is hard to see a trail in the photo, but that’s the consistency that you want to have.) It will take a little while to come to a boil – about 5 minutes

9. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as you reach that consistency (if you leave on a stove too long, it won’t be soft and creamy pasty cream), and add the vanilla extract and the butter. Stir well until they are well blended.
10. Prepare an ice bath (water + ice), and transfer the pan to the ice bath. Cover the pastry cream surface with plastic wrap and stir occasionally, until the pastry cream is cool – about 15 minutes.

Store up to 3~4 days in a refrigerator

ALEXA’S TIPS

1. Do not cook the pastry cream on high heat. You will end up with a lot of crumbs in your pastry
cream. To get smooth pastry cream, be patient and cook it on low to medium heat. It will take its sweet time, but it is the only way to get a smooth pastry cream. =]
2. I also like the pasty cream with vanilla bean. I will make that one another day.

Some people use ‘Pate Sucree,’ also known as sugar dough for tart shell.
Some people use short dough for their tart shell.
This recipe is a short dough recipe that you can easily make.

INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENTS

Equipments

4-inch individual tart pans
Stand mixer
Rolling pin

Ingredients for Tart Dough – Makes 6 4-inch shell

8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted,

HOW TO MAKE

Making the Tart Dough

1. In a stand mixer (A hand mixer will work fine as well.) attach the paddle attachment, and add the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Mix them on medium speed until you reach the cream stage. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula while mixing. Always!
3. Add the egg yolk and blend until smooth about 1 or 2 minutes.
4. Add the cake flour all at once, and mix on low speed until just blended.

Chilling the Dough

5. The dough will be very crumbly as you see on the photo. Just gently press the dough into a disk with your hand. Be careful not to knead the dough as it can become tough.
6. Wrap the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes.

If you’re making a fruit tart, this will the perfect time for you to make your pastry cream.

7. Since I am making 6 small tart shells, divide dough into 6 equal disks.

* Some of you mentioned that the dough falls apart when you try to roll right after you take out of refrigerator. Try this way to prevent that – Gently knead the tart dough (spread the dough with your hand) until it’s soft enough to roll. This should work.

8. Flour the work surface, scatter a little flour over the top of the dough, and roll it out
into even rounds about 2 inches larger in diameter than your tart pan.

Transferring & Forming

9. To transfer the dough to the tart pan, fold it loosely around the rolling pin, and gently lift and position it over the pan. (No need to grease the pan – tart shells will come out
easily.
10. Gently press down to the inner edge and trip the dough by using your fingertips to press the dough against the sides and bottom of the pan. Put them back in a refrigerator for another 10 to 15 minutes before blind baking. Turn the oven to 360 F.

Blind Baking

11. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the dough by using a fork. This will help the dough from puffing up as it bakes.
12. Line with parchment paper or aluminum foil in circle shape.
13. Add enough pie weights (Like most of people, I do not have this special tools, so I used dry beans. Dry beans or rice works just as well.)
14. About 8 – 10 minutes until the dough is just set and the edges look dry. (I think I over baked a little bit, but it was totally fine – I love crispy tart shell!)

Cooling

15. Remove the pan from the oven and remove dry beans.
16. Remove parchment papers.
17. Just push up the bottom of tart pan and you can get the shell out easily.
18. Cool them on the wire rack.

ALEXA’S TIPS

1. Do not skip the step of chilling the tart dough or you may have a difficult time rolling it out.
2. To patch a hole while you are transferring the dough, gently fill the hole with a small piece from the outer edge and a little bit of water.
3. I personally don’t prefer to freeze doughs or cakes. However, you can freeze tart dough up to 2 months for your convenience. Just defrost it in a refrigerator over night before you form and bake it.