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Chef Laurent Zirotti describes the childhood dessert he would fight over with his brother. His mother would make PePe - a sweet layered treat made from scratch with apples, shortbread, homemade fruit syrup and pastry cream.
  1. In a steel sauce pan bring milk to a light boil. (Be careful not to let it burn) Remove from heat.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and vanilla.
  3. Pour ingredients from mixing bowl into the sauce pan of heated milk
  4. Stir constantly and bring back to a light boil and remove from heat.
  5. Let cool for 5-15minutes to allow the cream to thicken.
  6. Build your pe’ pe’ either individually or in a large serving bowl:
  7. Line the bottom and sides with the crushed cookies.
  8. Add the syrup or jam on top of crushed cookies slowly to keep separate.
  9. Carefully add the applesauce.
  10. Slowly top with the cooled pastry cream
  11. Refrigerate until thoroughly cold, usually overnight
  • 1 package of shortbread cookies - crushed
  • 1 cup of blackberry syrup or 1 jar of blackberry jam thinned with water
  • 4 cups of unflavored apple sauce
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 tbsp of cornstarch
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp of vanilla extract