A ginger-graham crust with lemongrass pastry cream and blueberry whipped cream, garnished with fresh blueberries.

Lemongrass Pastry Cream

Ingredients

• 3 stalks of lemongrass

• 2 ½ cups whole milk, divided

• 6 large egg yolks

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided

• ⅓ cup cornstarch

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Cut each stalk of lemongrass into thirds. Discard the top third of each stalk. Peel off the outer layer of the bottom thirds of each stalk, then pound all of the remaining lemongrass using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until fragrant. 

2. Combine 2 cups of the milk and the lemongrass in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally,  until barely steaming and tiny bubbles appear around the edge of the milk. Turn off the heat, cover and let steep for at least 20 minutes. 

3. Whisk the egg yolks, ⅓ cup of sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and remaining ½ cup milk together in a medium bowl until smooth. Set this bowl on top of a tea towel to ease whisking later on. Strain the lemongrass out of the milk mixture into a separate bowl, using the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze all of the milk out of the lemongrass. Pour the infused milk back into the saucepan along with the remaining ⅓ cup of sugar. Heat once more, until sugar is dissolved and barely steaming.

4. Turn off the heat. While continuously whisking the yolks, slowly stream the hot infused milk into the yolk mixture to temper the yolks and prevent scrambling. Once all the milk is poured into the yolks, pour it once again into the saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring with a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pot. Cook until thickened considerably, enough to hold its own shape.Turn off the heat, then whisk to ensure a smooth texture.

5. Pour the cream into a bowl, then cover with plastic flush to the surface of the cream to prevent a skin forming on top. Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 3 hours.

Ginger Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 6 tbsp butter, melted

• 1 tsp ground ginger

Directions

1. Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and ginger in a small mixing bowl until well dispersed. Pour in the melted butter, then whisk until the mixture has the texture of wet sand.

2. Press the mixture into a 9” tart or pie pan, using a flat-bottomed measuring cup to flatten the bottom and build up the sides. If desired, bake the shell at 375°F for 8 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Baking is recommended for tart shells, not necessary for pie shells. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerated until needed. 

Blueberry Whipped Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ⅓ cup water

• ½ cup heavy cream, cold

• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Directions

1. Combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, and water together in a small nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries soften and a sauce forms. Thicken until the sauce is jammy and can coat the back of a spoon. Strain the jam into a small container, using the back of a spoon to squeeze all the juices out of the blueberries. Discard the solids, then refrigerate the jam for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold.

2. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, then the jam, a tablespoon at a time as desired. Reserve any leftover jam for garnish. Chill until needed.

Assembly

1. Whisk the pastry cream until completely smooth. Pour the cream into the prepared shell, smoothing with an offset spatula. Cover and freeze for at least 30 minutes to ensure the cream is cold. Spread the whipped cream in the center of the tart, using the back of a spoon to create swirls. Dot the whipped cream with reserved jam, then use the back of a spoon to blend into the cream slightly. Arrange fresh blueberries on top, dust with powdered sugar. Serve cold.