Steps for the Leccese Pasticciotto with Chocolate Cream

• To prepare the Leccese pasticciotto, we first make the dark chocolate custard. In a saucepan, place the milk and let it simmer on the stove. In a bowl with whisks, beat the yolks with the sugar, add the cornstarch and salt, and mix. Combine both the egg mixture into the milk and the melted dark chocolate in a bain-marie, and mix quickly with a whisk until it thickens completely. Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature by placing plastic wrap in contact with the cream.

  

• You can knead the shortcrust pastry by hand or in any kitchen robot, I used the stand mixer. First, attach the flat beater (i.e., the K), in the stand mixer bowl, pour the lard along with the granulated sugar, the sifted flour with the pinch of salt, and the grated lemon zest, activate the machine at speed 2 for a few minutes. Then add the yolks and the whole egg and mix for a few more minutes, finally with the beater in motion add the baking ammonia and mix for a few more seconds until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. Compact the shortcrust pastry well and wrap it in plastic wrap, let it rest in the fridge for about an hour. Retrieve the shortcrust pastry from the fridge, flour a pastry board, and roll out the shortcrust pastry with the help of a rolling pin to obtain a sheet about 1/8 inch thick. Using a round pastry cutter, cut out shortcrust pastry discs a little larger than the classic pasticciotto mold. Butter and flour the molds to be used, line with shortcrust pastry, and prick the base with a fork, then pour a couple of tablespoons of chocolate custard. Seal by closing the edge well with another disc of shortcrust pastry to prevent the filling from escaping during cooking. Brush with a beaten egg and bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Turn off, remove from the oven and let them cool for about ten minutes before removing them from the molds. It is very dangerous to do this procedure while hot because they could break.

  

• Serve the Leccese pasticciotto with chocolate cream on a serving plate and serve. I hope you like this latest recipe of mine, see you next time friends.