The Key to the Ideal Pastry Cream
Pastry cream, also known as crème pâtissière, is a rich and creamy custard that’s used in various pastries, cakes, and desserts. Here’s a recipe for making an ideal pastry cream:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until light and creamy.
- Add the cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Once all of the milk has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium heat.
- Cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until it thickens and comes to a boil. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Once the pastry cream has thickened, remove it from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
- Pour the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps.
- Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Let the pastry cream cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or until chilled and set.
- Once chilled, give the pastry cream a good stir before using it in your pastries or desserts.
This pastry cream can be used as a filling for eclairs, cream puffs, fruit tarts, or any other pastry where a creamy filling is desired. Enjoy!