Tortellini in cream sauce with the Thermomix® comes down to three things: holding 80°C steady, whisking the egg yolks outside the mixing bowl first, and adding the Parmesan in two stages. That is all.
We have made this dish at least once a week for years. The sauce is the one part where the Thermomix® really makes a difference. Not because of speed, but because it holds 80°C for 12 minutes without us having to stand at the hob.
Tortellini in Cream Sauce with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 8 ✓
- 800 g tortellini
- 120 g Parmesan
- 2 egg yolks
- 400 g double cream
- 4 sprigs basil
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
Instructions 0 / 8
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1
Cook the tortellini according to the packet instructions.
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2
Meanwhile, cut the Parmesan into pieces, add to the mixing bowl, chop for 7 seconds / speed 8, then set aside.
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3
Stir the egg yolks and 50 g of double cream together in a cup.
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4
Add the remaining double cream to the mixing bowl and heat for 7 minutes / 80°C / speed 1.
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5
Meanwhile, wash the basil, shake dry and pluck off the leaves.
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6
Add the egg yolk mixture, salt, pepper and nutmeg and heat for 4 minutes / 80°C / reverse direction / speed 3.
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7
Add 100 g Parmesan and heat for 1 minute / 80°C / speed 2.
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8
Place the tortellini and cream sauce in a bowl, mix well, then serve topped with the remaining Parmesan and garnished with basil.
Tip: Instead of basil, you can also use young spinach leaves and cook them in the cream sauce.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why 80°C is the non-negotiable threshold
At 75°C the egg yolk does not set and does not bind. The sauce stays as thin as warmed cream. At 85°C the egg yolk curdles into scrambled-egg flakes immediately. We need the temperature exactly between those two points.
The Thermomix® holds 80°C steadily. That makes it the first choice for egg yolk sauces. On the hob you would need to stir constantly and monitor with a thermometer. Here you set it and walk away.
Whisk the egg yolks separately, not directly into the hot cream
This is the critical step. If you add the 2 egg yolks straight into the warmed cream, they will curdle on contact with the heat. That is why you stir them beforehand with 50 g of cold cream in a cup.
This mixture is at room temperature and disperses instantly into the hot cream in the mixing bowl without setting. The 4 minutes at 80°C and reverse direction speed 3 then slowly thicken the sauce. The reverse direction prevents the cream from foaming or splashing.
Parmesan in two stages: binding, then the finishing touch
We add 100 g of Parmesan to the hot sauce and let it melt for 1 minute at 80°C. This binds the sauce further and gives it its salty base note. The remaining 20 g we scatter over the tortellini only at serving.
Why not add it all at once? Freshly grated Parmesan over the finished dish has more aroma than Parmesan that has been fully cooked in. The two stages give you both: creamy binding in the sauce plus a fresh cheese bite on top.
Cooking the tortellini in parallel saves 7 minutes
While the cream heats in the Thermomix®, cook the tortellini in a pot according to the packet instructions. Usually 7 to 9 minutes. This runs in parallel with the first 7 minutes of cream heating in the mixing bowl.
When the sauce is ready, the tortellini are drained and you combine everything directly in the serving bowl. No waiting, no keeping warm separately. Everything hot on the table.
Basil or spinach as a fresh contrast
We pluck fresh basil leaves and scatter them over the finished tortellini. This gives a bright, slightly peppery contrast to the creamy, salty sauce. Alternatively, you can add young spinach leaves to the hot sauce before removing it from the mixing bowl. The spinach wilts in 30 seconds and turns the sauce green.
Both variations work. Basil stays visually cleaner (green leaves on a white sauce), while spinach colours the whole sauce green and adds more volume.
What to do with leftovers
The sauce keeps in the fridge for 2 days. It thickens a little as it cools because the Parmesan and egg yolk continue to bind. When reheating in the microwave or in a pan, loosen it with 2 to 3 tbsp of milk. Do not heat it too high or the cream will split.
The tortellini themselves go soft in the fridge after a day and fall apart. If you are planning on leftovers, cook the tortellini fresh and keep only the sauce.
