Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk (whole or 2%)

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons (20 grams) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

1/2 tablespoon liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy, Kirsch) (optional)

For lighter pastry cream fold in 1/2 cup (120 ml) softly whipped cream to cooled pastry cream.

For Chocolate pastry cream add 2 ounces (60 grams) of finely grated bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate to the hot pastry cream. Stir until melted.

For Coffee pastry cream add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon instant espresso or coffee powder to the hot milk.

Pastry Cream: In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together. (Do let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch (corn flour) together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the milk and vanilla bean just to boiling (just until milk starts to foam up.) Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.) Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture. (The vanilla bean can be washed and dried and placed in your sugar bowl to give the sugar a vanilla flavor.) Then pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 - 60 seconds until it becomes thick. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using). (Stir in vanilla extract is using instead of a vanilla bean.) Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool to room temperature. If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Whisk or stir before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.

Makes about 1 cup (240 ml). Preparation time 20 minutes.

Pastry Cream

Pastry cream is used to fill many varieties of pastries including eclairs.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

• 300ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 egg yolks
• 60g caster sugar
• 30g corn flour
• 30g butter

Method

1. Place the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pod. Place the saucepan over a moderate heat and bring it to the simmer. Then remove it from the heat.
2. Place the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour in a bowl and whisk them together until well combined.
3. Add the milk to the bowl and whisk the ingredients together until well combined. Return the mixture to the saucepan and return it to a moderate high heat. Whisking it constantly bring it to the boil (be thorough with the whisking or you will end up with lumps and burnt pastry cream). When the pastry cream is thick remove it from the heat and mix in the butter.
4. Remove the pod from the pastry cream and place the pastry cream in a large bowl to cool. When it is warm cover it with cling film and leave it to cool. When it has cooled refrigerator until ready to use.