Everybody Loves Tuscany

CREMA FRITTA

CREMA FRITTA 

Ingredients for about 14 to 15 fried creams

500 ml of whole milk
4 medium yolks (put the egg whites aside that you will need for the breading)
120 g of sugar
70 g of flour
20-25 g of cornstarch
peel of 1 lemon (or orange)
1 teaspoon of Anise liqueur (optional Anisetta, Strega liqueur, limoncello or neutral aromas like vanilla)
Peanut oil to fry

FRIED CREAM PROCEDURE

In a bowl, add the egg yolks with the sugar and mix well to obtain a light mixture.
Add the sifted cornstarch and stir.
Add the flour always sifted and in several stages continuing to mix until you create a homogeneous mixture.
Heat the milk in a large pot with the lemon peel. Switch off and remove the peel.
Add the hot milk to the egg mixture using a strainer to filter it. Stir completely.
Transfer the mixture back to the pan and cook over a gentle flame, stirring constantly until the cream thickens completely.
Turn off the heat, add the teaspoon of liqueur and stir.
Allow to cool slightly and then transfer the cream onto a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap or parchment paper.
You can also use a small cake with high sides, I use a pan because as a video, depending on the amount of cream I prepare then I can easily get the portions and height.
Add the film on the surface of the cream when it has cooled and with your hands form a rectangle or square homogeneous with a thickness of about 2 cm.
Allow the cream to set completely, better without film so it dries first and then transfer to the refrigerator to harden for about 1-2 hours.
After the rest time get a lot of squares with a floured knife.
Pass each square first in the flour, then in the egg whites you have put aside and later in the breadcrumbs. Create a homogeneous breading.
Continue like this for all the creams.
Fry the creams for a few minutes in a pot with plenty of seed oil for a few seconds until browned.
Transfer each cream to absorbent paper and serve warm and warm.
Notes and my tips for a perfect fried cream:

You can flavor the cream of your choice, using the liqueur you prefer. Normally we use anise liqueur but often I also use Strega liqueur or limoncello.
The rest of the cream is important to obtain the cubes.
The fry must be fast and with hot oil, because the cream is already cooked, the only time to cook the surface.
You can anticipate in the preparation of the fried creams by breading them and then frying them when necessary. Keep in a well-covered refrigerator.
The creams should be consumed during the day being fried, preferably lukewarm.
I used the egg whites to consume them, if you want you can prepare a classic with whole eggs. Create a homogeneous breading so as not to let the frying cream out. You can also make a double breading typical of Ascoli olives, although I do not really like it.
If you do not have corn starch or you do not want to use you can replace it with flour.

Video courtesy of Ho Voglia di Dolce