Listové hvězdičky s pudinkovým krémem

Yes, in most cases. Lumps usually form when the hot milk is added too quickly, so the egg yolks scramble instead of thickening smoothly - pour it in a thin stream while whisking constantly. If lumps still appear, push the finished cream through a fine sieve while it is hot, then stir in the butter for a glossy finish.

Frozen puff pastry works well, but let it thaw until it is pliable enough to roll out and cut into 9 squares without cracking. Keep it cool while you work - if the sheet gets warm and soft, the folded corners will slump and the stars lose their shape in the oven. Chilling the shaped stars for a few minutes before brushing with egg white helps them puff cleanly.

Cornstarch can be swapped for the same weight of custard powder or potato starch; both thicken the 250 ml of milk in a similar way, though the cream may set slightly softer. Instead of egg white for brushing, use a little milk or a whole beaten egg - milk gives a paler finish, whole egg a deeper golden colour. The vanilla extract can be replaced with the seeds of a vanilla pod, warmed in the milk.

The pastry cream is the ideal make-ahead component: cook it, cover the surface directly with cling film so no skin forms, and chill it until you need it. The stars can also be baked in advance and kept at room temperature. Only fill, add the berries and dust with powdered sugar shortly before serving, otherwise the pastry softens.

A puffed-up centre means the middle was not pressed flat and pricked with a fork firmly enough, so steam lifted the layer that should hold the cream. Cutting all the way through from the corners is the other common mistake - the folded points then separate instead of staying joined at the centre. Press the centre well, poke it generously, and stop each cut short of the middle.