Sweet dessert samosas with pastry cream filling

Separate two eggs, keep the yolks. Whisk the yolks with half the sugar until pale and creamy, about 30 seconds.

Whisk in the cornstarch.

Heat the milk with the remaining sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil.

Temper the yolks with a little hot milk, then add the rest slowly while mixing.

Return to the pot over medium heat and whisk continuously until thickened and bubbling.

Off the heat, whisk in the butter until dissolved.

Pass through a strainer, flatten out, cover with plastic wrap on the surface and chill.

Variation, strawberries and cream: wash, top and finely dice the strawberries. Macerate with sugar 20 to 30 minutes, then drain the syrup off and fold the pieces into the plain pastry cream.

Variation, pistachio: at the butter stage add pistachio paste and ground cardamom, sieve smooth, then mix in orange zest.

Variation, chocolate: whisk cocoa powder in with the cornstarch, loosen with a little of the milk, then after the butter stir in milk chocolate off the heat.

Transfer each filling to a piping bag, or spoon it in with a teaspoon.

Make a binder by mixing a heaped teaspoon of flour with a little water to a paste.

Working one wrapper at a time under a towel, smooth side up, fold the far corner over to form a cone, fill, then fold over twice and seal the tail with binder.

Freeze at least 4 to 12 hours before frying so the pastry cream firms and will not leak or expand in the oil.

Defrost 10 to 15 minutes, dab off ice crystals. Heat frying oil at least a couple of centimetres deep to around 200 to 210C.

Fry in batches of 3 to 4, spooning hot oil over, about 90 seconds, flipping a couple of times, until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Variation, air fryer: brush both sides with vegetable oil, preheat as hot as it goes, cook 4 minutes, brush and flip, cook 2 more minutes.

Variation, oven: line a tray with baking paper and brush with oil, preheat at the hottest setting, cook 6 minutes, brush and flip, cook 3 more minutes.

Pile on a tray and garnish with crushed pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature.