Lab Bench: Silky Bavarian Cream

The Art.
    Best Friend Hanako has been my steadfast companion on many wonderful baking adventures, but the one I love best is the time we made Bavarian cream. We had just thrown together some spice cake cupcakes, and I had found a new Bavarian Cream recipe for us to use as a filling. As usual, we were focused more on gossiping and giggling rather than baking, and I didn't have high hopes for our end product. We didn't even follow the recipe entirely. However, the resulting Bavarian cream was one of those happy accidents you experience in life that you reminisce about for years to come. It was silky, rich and wonderful. I have attempted to recreate this cream several times with limited success, and each time it falls short of my expectations and I fall into a deep Baking Depression. After my most recent attempt, I decided enough was enough. Today, I will share with you what ensues when a scientist has trouble with a recipe.

The Science.
   This Bavarian Cream is made up of two components: a whipped cream and a vanilla custard. To be honest, the root of all my problems lies within the custard component. I hypothesized that there were a few variables that had changed between the first Bavarian cream and the subsequent batches. First, I know for a fact that I didn't use anywhere near as much gelatin as the recipe calls for. Second, I didn't use a thermometer while cooking the custard, nor record how long I cooked it. (That part really infuriates me.) Third, I'm not sure if I used whole milk or 1%. And fourth, Best Friend Hanako reminded me that I had originally chilled it overnight, because I knew she would have no patience for stirring over a double boiler when she came over.
     Custards can be very sensitive to heat, and according to those who know, they should only be cooked to 170-175^oF [1]. Any higher, and the eggs will begin to "break," and you'll end up with a lumpy custard. Straining through a sieve will only take out large clumps caused by under-stirring, so there's no going back after your eggs have curdled. For this recipe, I needed to figure out the perfect cook time, thickening agent, and chill time to create a custard that is thick enough to be stable once blended with the whipped cream, yet gently cooked so it maintains a rich, silky texture. 
    After several days of painstakingly altering the custard recipe, I finally got fed up with the whole thing, and decided to take a step back. I remembered when my Aunt first taught me to make custard, and threw all the custard ingredients together in a pan and stirred constantly with a spatula. When the mixture just started to bubble (which I admit was way above 175^oF), I strained it and allowed it to set overnight. Voila! Perfect custard, and no thermometers needed.


The Recipe. (Adapted from [2])

6 egg yolks
1 cup  plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (1/4oz) envelope gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups 40% heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon cornstarch

    In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks and powdered sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Bring milk and vanilla to a scald in a saucepan. Slowly add ladles of milk to the egg yolks, constantly stirring until all the milk is combined. Tempering the eggs like this prevents them from cooking up in lumps, and produces a silky texture. Stir the custard constantly over low heat with a spatula, carefully scraping the entire bottom of the saucepan to prevent it overcooking on the bottom. When the custard begins to coat the spatula and just begins to bubble, remove from heat.
    In a small bowl, stir gelatin into 1/4 cup boiling water until dissolved. Slowly add to warm custard while stirring. Strain custard through a wire mesh sieve into a bowl, cover surface with waxed paper, and chill overnight.
    The next day, make the stabilized whipped cream. Chill a large metal bowl and beater blades in the freezer for 10 minutes. Add some ice and water to a slightly larger bowl to create an ice bath, and set the chilled metal bowl inside it. Whip the cream on medium-high until soft peaks stand in the bowl. Add the cornstarch, and continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip, as the cream will curdle.
    Before combining the custard and the cream, the custard must be whipped to make the texture more pliable so the whipped cream can be folded in. This can be done by either stirring with a whisk or beating it on low for a couple minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the custard, and stir until smooth. Store Bavarian cream in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


1. Sawicki, Laura. "Cooking Basics-- How to Make Custard." Edible Austin. Available here.

2. Recipe by Nadia Hassani, in Spoonfuls of Germany. Available here.