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Sweet Sauces and Creams

Orange Pastry Cream for Panettone and Pandoro

Orange Pastry Cream for Panettone and Pandoro: velvety and fragrant with fresh orange juice and zest, made for your holiday desserts.
Recipe Orange Pastry Cream for Panettone and Pandoro
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 10 minutes
  • Cooking 5 minutes
  • Servings for To fill 1 panettone or pandoro

Picture the scene: a festive table set for the holidays, citrus scents filling the air and the most awaited moment, dessert, made unforgettable by a soft, delicate, fragrant orange pastry cream for panettone. This orange cream for pandoro (the tall, star-shaped Christmas cake from Verona) is the perfect solution if you want an elegant yet surprising note: its velvety texture and rich flavor are the ideal match for the great leavened holiday cakes, but it is also wonderful as an orange spoon dessert, perhaps enjoyed with a piece of pandoro or panettone in every bite.

This orange pastry cream recipe starts from simple ingredients (fresh milk, egg yolks, sugar, starch, and the juice and zest of organic oranges), but it’s the way they come together that makes this silky orange cream a real treat to enjoy all winter long. If you’re wondering how to make orange cream, you’ll be surprised at how quick and practical it is: in just a few minutes your kitchen will fill with an aroma that instantly brings to mind the family gathered together and the cozy atmosphere of the holidays.

Use this cream to fill panettone or to serve with a slice of pandoro: the fresh citrus flavor enhances the buttery richness of leavened cakes, and the citrus note pairs perfectly with other desserts too. Discover how versatile it is among holiday dessert sauces. A refined twist on classic pastry cream, it is also ideal for filling cream puffs and citrus-inspired cakes like the Torta Fiesta, or for giving an unusual twist to a tiramisu. If you love creams, also try the indulgent Orange Curd or see how pastry cream enhances recipes like Cream-Filled Bomboloni, Cream-Filled Lobster Tail Pastries or the wonderful Orange-Scented Chiacchiere. Get inspired and turn every dessert into a little Christmas masterpiece, and not only at Christmas.

Ingredients for To fill 1 panettone or pandoro

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Method

  1. To make the orange pastry cream, start by heating the milk in a large saucepan without bringing it to a boil. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl or directly in another saucepan, vigorously beat the egg yolks with the sugar and the grated orange zest until the mixture is pale.
  2. Add the sifted cornstarch to the egg and sugar mixture, stirring well to avoid lumps. Now pour the hot milk in a thin stream over the paste, whisking continuously to temper everything.
  3. Place the mixture over low heat. Keep stirring constantly with the whisk. As soon as the cream starts to thicken, pour in the orange juice in a thin stream. Keep stirring until the cream has reached the desired consistency and a temperature of 85 °C (185 °F) (if you don’t have a thermometer, cook for about 3-4 minutes over low heat from when it starts to boil).
  4. Once ready, remove the cream from the heat and immediately pour it into a clean, cold bowl (preferably glass or ceramic). Cover it right away with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent an annoying skin from forming. Let it cool completely, perhaps setting the bowl on a freezer cooling block or in an ice-water bath to speed up the process, before putting it in the fridge. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

You can replace the cornstarch with rice starch for an even silkier texture. If you prefer a bolder flavor, you can add a tablespoon of orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier) at the end of cooking.

Tips

For best results, use only organic, untreated oranges, since you’ll be using the zest. If you want an even richer, more indulgent texture, once it has cooled you can gently fold in some whipped cream or mascarpone: you’ll get an orange diplomat cream or a citrus mascarpone cream, perfect for winter tiramisu.

Storage

Orange pastry cream keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, well covered with plastic wrap. Before using it, we recommend whisking it briefly to make it creamy again.

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