Mille Gusti Pastries

The “mille gusti pastries” are not a well-defined classic of Italian pastry making, but can be interpreted as assorted pastries that allow for a great variety of flavors, giving free rein to creativity. So, let’s make an example recipe for shortcrust pastries filled with various creams and decorations, inspired by Italian tradition but with a touch of imagination. Let’s take a classic shortcrust pastry as our base:

Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry:

• 300g 00 flour
• 200g cold butter, cubed
• 100g powdered sugar
• 1 large egg (about 60g)
• 1 egg yolk
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (organic)

For the pastry cream:

• 500 ml whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 100g sugar
• 40g 00 flour or cornstarch
• Zest of 1 lemon (organic) or 1 vanilla bean

For the decorations and fillings:

• Fresh fruit to taste (strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, etc.)
• Chopped hazelnuts or pistachios
• Dark, milk or white chocolate
• Jam or fruit jelly

Preparation

1. Start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: combine the flour and powdered sugar in a bowl, add the cold butter cubes and quickly work the mixture with your fingertips to obtain a sandy texture. Add the egg and yolk, the grated lemon zest and quickly knead until you have a compact dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

2. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 4 mm and cut out circles with a cookie cutter. Line pastry molds with these and prick the bottom with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

3. For the pastry cream, heat the milk with the lemon zest or vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until you have a frothy, pale mixture; incorporate the sifted flour. Remove the lemon zest or vanilla from the milk and pour it in a thin stream into the yolk mixture, stirring continuously. Return to the heat and cook until the cream thickens, stirring constantly. Let cool, covering with plastic wrap pressed against the surface.

4. Assemble the pastries by filling the shortcrust bases with pastry cream and decorate as desired with fresh fruit, chopped hazelnuts or pistachios, dollops of whipped cream, or designs made with melted chocolate.

Trivia

In Italy, the term “pasticcino” refers to a small sweet that can be enjoyed in one or two bites. The variety of pastries is endless and includes shortcrust pastry, cream, fruit and chocolate among its most beloved ingredients. In Italian bars and pastry shops you will always find a wide selection of these delicious treats, which pay homage to the creativity and art of local pastry making.