Chiboust Cream

Please do not be freaked out by the French name.  A chiboust (shih-BOOST) cream is just a pastry cream lightened with an Italian meringue or whipped cream. 

Any variation of either is fair game, as long as your flavors all go nicely together.  Plus, you can tell your guests that you filled the cake or the profiteroles with chiboust cream, and they will be very impressed!

Sometimes chiboust is stabilized with some gelatin.  In this case, whisk in your bloomed gelatin as you are straining your pastry cream, while the cream is still very hot. 

Use about 1/2 teaspoon powdered gelatin (bloomed in 1 tablespoon of cold water) per 2 cups of pastry cream (or more or less depending on how firm you want it to be). 

Start with 3 parts pastry cream to 1 part Italian meringue or whipped cream.  See if you like it.  Adjust as needed.