Cooked Pastry Fillings: Tart Cherry and Pastry Cream

Fruit fillings and custards are some of the tastiest options for topping any style of pastry. Join culinary instructor and pastry chef Colette Christian as she shares her favorite method and recipe for making homemade cherry filling. She will talk you through a few different thickening agents that can be used and the steps needed to activate them.

You’ll see a comparison between these agents with distinct differences in the final product revealing a translucent versus cloudy glaze. Then, she reveals her secret to making pastry cream that is guaranteed to come out smooth and thick — no straining needed and no wasted custard! Colette will also share her secret ingredient for enhancing the flavor of pastry cream. These fillings are so delicious you’ll want to eat them straight from the bowl, but they are even tastier when paired with Colette’s Danish dough. You will also learn how to quickly cool and store your fillings appropriately to maintain a high quality product.

And lastly, Colette shares some insight on how to save a little time in the kitchen by using store bought fillings versus making your own. Use this shortcut in a pinch without sacrificing flavor. Check out some of Colette’s other videos like “Classic Pastry Fillings” for more flavor combinations.