Pastry Cream

Pastry cream is a basic preparation for many desserts. Tart bases, eclair fillings, cake fillings - the list goes on and on. There are many different formulas, but this one is my favorite because it's consistent and I love the brown sugar flavor. If you add about 3 oz. of metlted chocolate to this you will have chocolate pastry cream.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 8  large  egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1  pinch salt
• 3  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 1⁄2 cups  whole milk
• 1  piece vanilla beans (4-inch) or 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Place the yolks, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until blended.
2. Stir in the cornstarch.
3. Heat the milk and vanilla bean (if using) to scalding in a heavy saucepan.
4. SLOWLY whisk the milk into the eggs, whisking the eggs constantly.
5. This is called"tempering".
6. Start out with just a thin stream of milk, constantly whisking, then as the eggs warm up you can add the milk faster.
7. You need to do this slowly at first to avoid scrambling the yolks.
8. If you do that, you have to start over.
9. Remove the vanilla bean and pour the yolk mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens- about 3-5 minutes.
10. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream and the vanilla extract (if using).
11. Pass the cream through a fine mesh strainer (very important to do!!!), then place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
12. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill.
13. Will keep several days in the refrigerator.