- Details
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Parent Category: Recipes
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/8 cup (20 grams) all-purpose flour
Scant 3 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch
3/4 tablespoon (10 ml) liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy, Kirsch)
Makes about 1 cup
For light pastry cream add:
1/2 cup (115 ml) heavy cream, softly whipped (optional)
Variations:
Chocolate pastry cream:
Add: 2 ounces (50 grams) of melted bittersweet or semi-sweet, milk or
white chocolate into the hot milk (before you add it to the egg and
flour mixture)
Coffee pastry cream:
Add: 1/2 - 1 Tablespoon instant espresso or instant coffee powder into
hot milk.
Raspberry pastry cream:
Add: 1/4 cup (60 ml) (or to taste) raspberry puree to pastry cream
In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks
together with a wooden spoon. (Never let the mixture sit too long or
you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch
together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a
smooth paste. Set aside.
Meanwhile in a saucepan combine the milk and split vanilla bean on
medium heat until boiling. (The milk will foam up to the top of pan
when done, so watch carefully.) 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 dried and placed in your sugar bowl
to give the sugar a vanilla flavor. This sugar can then be used in
baking where you would like a vanilla-flavored sugar, e.g. pies,
cakes, cookies.)
Place the egg mixture back 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 very thick and
it is hard to stir.
Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using). Pour
into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap
to prevent a crust from forming. Cool. If not using right away
refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Beat before using to get rid
of any lumps that may have formed.
For a light pastry cream, just before using, fold in the softly
whipped cream with a wooden spoon
