GF Crema Pasticcera

• 6 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 3/4 cup sugar
• A vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract*
• 6 very fresh egg yolks
• 1 1/2 c + 1/2 c = 1 pint (500 ml) whole milk
• pinch of salt

if you have a copper pot this is the recipe to use it for. if you have a round bottomed pot, this too, is a recipe for which to use it -- don't have either?! no worries, just make sure you get into the corners as best you can!

Start 1 1/2 cups of the milk to warm over a slow burner with the vanilla bean (if using extract wait on vanilla but do start to warm milk).
In the meantime, lightly whisk the yolks.
Sift/Strain the flour into the bowl, then whisk gently -- making sure that no lumps form.
Whisk in the sugar.
Whisk the remaining half cup of milk, keeping a wary eye for lumps.

By this time the milk on the stove will be about ready to boil.
Remove the vanilla bean (or let the milk cool a bit and leave bean in and cover with lid for up to ten minutes)
-Slowly- whisk the hot milk into the egg-and-milk mixture.
Return the creama to the pot and the pot to the heat, and continue cooking over a -low- flame, stirring -gently- (if using extract add that now)
Count to about 100 while stirring constantly until it's done. (Note it reaches roughly the consistency of commercially prepared plain yogurt of the sort that will pour from the cup it's done).

Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool.

To keep 'skin' from forming:

• keep stirring until its cool
• place plastic wrap directly on top of the cream
  
• sprinkle sugar consistently over the top and mix the sugar in when its cool

When cool, spoon into cut zeppoles, baked pie crust, or pudding bowl -- and enjoy!

*try coffee beans, lemon peel, amaretto, anise oil or other flavorings of choice