PASTRY CREAM

Today I am following Claire Saffitz Pastry Cream recipe from Dessert Person. I also followed her Coconut Pastry Cream variation for her Coconut Cake!

This recipe is definitely technically more challenging but I think the effort is so worth it in the end. I didn't know what I was missing before making my own pastry cream. It adds such a nice texture and balance to a dessert.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Whole Milk

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

½ cup Granulated Sugar

¼ cup Cornstarch

5 large Egg Yolks

6 tbs. Unsalted Butter, cut ½ inch cubes, chilled

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place a fine mesh sieve over the top of a large bowl and set aside.

2. Combine the milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium-low heat and let the mixture come slowly to a simmer, whisking occasionally.

3. While the milk is heating, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and yolks in a large bowl. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is very pale, light in texture, and thick, about two minutes.

4. Using a ladle and whisking constantly, slowly stream about half of the hot milk into the bowl with the egg mixture. Whisking constantly, quickly stream the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk.

5. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the foam has subsided and the pastry cream is thick like pudding and holds the marks of the whisk, about 3 minutes. Its important the pastry cream comes up to a boil in order to activate the cornstarch. At the same time you don't want to overcook the pastry cream. When you pause whisking, a few thick bubbles should form and then pop at the surface. If this isn't happening, increase the heat slightly and continue whisking, pausing every 30 seconds to check if its bubbling.

6. Scrape the cooked pastry cream into the mesh sieve and use the whisk to press the mixture through the mesh sieve and into the large bowl.

7. Whisk the cold butter into the hot pastry cream one piece at a time until smooth. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.

---

Place a fine mesh sieve over the top of a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium-low heat and let the mixture come slowly to a simmer, whisking occasionally.

While the milk is heating, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and yolks in a large bowl. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is very pale, light in texture, and thick, about two minutes.

Using a ladle and whisking constantly, slowly stream about half of the hot milk into the bowl with the egg mixture. Whisking constantly, quickly stream the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk.

Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the foam has subsided and the pastry cream is thick like pudding and holds the marks of the whisk, about 3 minutes. Its important the pastry cream comes up to a boil in order to activate the cornstarch. At the same time you don't want to overcook the pastry cream. When you pause whisking, a few thick bubbles should form and then pop at the surface. If this isn't happening, increase the heat slightly and continue whisking, pausing every 30 seconds to check if its bubbling.

Scrape the cooked pastry cream into the mesh sieve and use the whisk to press the mixture through the mesh sieve and into the large bowl.

Whisk the cold butter into the hot pastry cream one piece at a time until smooth. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.

From there you can use the pastry cream however you would like! The most common use is using it in a tart, which is exactly what I did. Coming to the blog soon is this Fruit Tart recipe!

If you plan on saving this recipe for later via Pinterest, feel free to use this image!

Please tag me if you end up making this recipe, I would LOVE to see how it turns out!!