Pandoro Trees with Pastry Cream and Currants

Method

1. Place the milk, orange zest and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Remove from heat, cover immediately with plastic wrap and let infuse until warm.
2. In a bowl, sieve the egg yolks and sugar together, then add the cornstarch and mix well.
3. Remove the orange zest and cinnamon from the milk. Temper the egg mixture with a ladle of warm milk, then pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5-6 minutes).
4. Let the cream cool completely, keeping plastic wrap in contact with the surface. Transfer to a piping bag.
5. Slice the pandorini horizontally into several layers. Set the layers aside.
6. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut a star from the pandoro base (one of the layers).
7. Place the largest star layer on a serving plate. Pipe a layer of cream on top. Continue stacking the pandoro layers with cream in between, ending with the pandoro top (the 'cappello').
8. Pipe a small amount of cream on top to act as glue and attach the star cut-out.
9. Decorate the trees with fresh currants to resemble ornaments. Dust with icing sugar if desired.