Vanilla Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or use pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 5 large egg yolks*
- 6 Tbsp butter cubed and chilled
Instructions
- Combine milk, vanilla, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and cook 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a large bowl. Whisk vigorously 2 full minutes or until mixture is very pale and thick.
- Slowly ladle about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
- Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until cream has the thickness of pudding and becomes glossy in texture.
- Scrape pastry cream into a fine mesh sieve set over a clean bowl, pressing with a spoon or spatula to get cream through.
- Whisk in butter, one cube at a time, until smooth. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until it's cold, at least 4 hours.
Notes
*Save your egg whites for a meringue, marshmallow topping, macarons, or a pavlova!