Step 1

Grease your pastry tins or muffin forms with butter, and dust them with a bit of flour.

Step 2

Heat milk on a small or medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.

Step 3

While waiting for the milk, use a medium mixing bowl and combine the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest; then mix with a whisk.

Step 4

Slowly pour the heated milk on the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Make sure you don't pour the milk all at once, or you might end up cooking the eggs.

Step 5

Pour the pastry cream back into the saucepan and bring to a slow boil and until it has thickened to your desired consistency.

Step 6

Set Italian pastry cream aside to cool.

Step 7

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Step 8

Roll your pastry dough using a rolling pin and arrange them on your greased pastry/muffin tins.

Step 9

Leave some dough hanging on the side of the tins; you need this later for sealing the pastry.

Step 10

Prepare (or cut out) the pastry dough for covering the top of each tin as well.

Step 11

Spoon some pastry cream into each tin --- do not fill to the rim.

Step 12

Cover each tin with the rest of the prepared pastry dough.  Fold the top pastry under the lower pastry to seal the sides and to keep the cream intact.

Step 13

Brush top with egg whites.

Step 14

Place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until they turned golden.

Step 15

Serve and dust your Italian cream filled pastry with powdered sugar, if preferred.