Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière) is a classic French cream commonly used in desserts. It is a fundamental element in French cuisine and is used in making éclairs, tarts, mille-feuille, and more recipes .
Ingredients:
500 ml milk
100 g sugar
4 egg yolks
40 g cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
50 g butter (optional, for a richer flavor)
Instructions:
Heat Milk:
Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat it over medium heat with the vanilla until it starts to boil.
Mix the Dry Ingredients:
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes creamy. Gradually add the cornstarch while mixing.
Add the Milk:
Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling
Cook the Mixture:
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
Add the Butter:
If using butter, add it after removing the cream from the heat and mix well.
Cool the Cream:
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and let it cool completely before using.
You can adjust the flavors by adding lemon zest, cinnamon, or chocolate as desired.