Basic Pastry Cream #2 -- This Might Be "The One"
A thick and creamy, non-chalky, non-lumpy pastry cream recipe that's perfect for Boston Cream Pie.
Servings 3 cups
Cost 5
Ingredients
- ¼ cup flour (30 grams)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (32 grams)
- 4 large egg yolks (72 grams)
- 2 cups whole milk (2 cups of 427 ml)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (140 grams)
- 2 or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 to 42 grams)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 cup heavy cream whipped
Instructions
- Combine the flour and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
- Have your egg yolks in a medium bowl ready to go.
- Place the milk and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan (see note). Slowly bring to a gentle boil. You could also do this in a double boiler if you have one.
- While you're waiting for the milk mixture to come to a boil, whisk the remaining ⅓ cup sugar into the egg yolks until thick and pale, then whisk in the cornstarch and flour mixture.
- When the milk comes to a boil, gradually whisk about a cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper and thin.
- Reduce the heat slightly and add the egg yolk mixture to the milk mixture whisking constantly. If you need to, raise the heat so that the mixture is simmering and you're in control of it as you whisk. The pastry cream will (should!) thicken almost immediately. Continue to cook and stir until 1 or 2 large bubbles break the surface (this might take a minute or two, but it helps kill the enzymes that cause thinning). Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a clean container. Press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface and chill until cold.
- If desired, you may lighten the texture of the pastry cream by folding in the whipped cream after the pastry cream if fully chilled. You may want to sweeten the cream with 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and add a little more vanilla before folding it into the pastry cream because the cream itself is just the right level of sweetness and adding unsweetened cream will make it slightly less sweet.
Notes
I use a 3 quart All-Clad without any coating on it since this requires lots of vigorous whisking and you don't want flecks of coating in your cream.
