Pastry Cream
Pastry cream is a classic component of many desserts and pastry. It’s very similar to vanilla pudding although it generally is not served on its own. Pastry cream has many uses, some of my favorites are in eclairs, fruit tarts, and cakes.
I call for a vanilla bean in this recipe, but if you have a vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, you could use that instead. A vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract would both be added at the very end, after the pastry cream has been strained. A vanilla bean will give you a smoother, more complex flavor, so if you have one, this is a great way to use it.
Pastry Cream
Makes enough for a 9-inch tart
5 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
3 Tb cornstarch
2 Tb flour
½ vanilla bean
2 cups whole milk
4 Tb (2 oz) butter, cubed
Pinch of salt
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture has lightened in color. Carefully whisk the flour and cornstarch into the yolk mixture until it is well combined. Set aside.
Use a paring knife to split the vanilla bean down the middle. Use the knife to scrape out the seeds by starting at one end of the bean and dragging the knife down to the opposite end. Add the scraped seeds and the pods to a medium saucepan, along with the milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. While the milk is coming to a boil, set a fine mesh strainer over a large, clean bowl. Set aside for later. Set your bowl with the yolk mixture on top of a damp towel to keep it from sliding around and position it near the stove.
Keep a close eye on your milk, you want to catch it as soon as it comes to a boil, otherwise it will boil over and make a mess. Once your milk has come to a boil, remove it from the heat and splash a small amount into the yolk mixture. Whisk the hot milk into the yolks. Add a thin, steady stream of hot milk to the yolks while whisking constantly. If you are having trouble keeping your bowl steady or want a free hand to hold onto the bowl, you can continue to temper the milk in by adding small splashes at a time. Once you’ve whisked in about half of the milk, you can add the remaining milk more quickly, whisking thoroughly.
Return the mixture to the pan over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until the cream thickens and begins to boil. Whisk the cream rapidly for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Strain the hot pastry cream through the fine mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula to work the pastry cream through the strainer. Discard the vanilla bean pod. If using extract or paste instead of a bean, stir 1 tsp in now.
Cover the pastry cream by pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface, in order to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely before using. Pastry cream can keep for about a week in the fridge.