Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk
1 moist, plump vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract*)
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats, at room temperature

Bring the milk and vanilla bean (pulp and pod) to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and allow the milk to infuse for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.  (If necessary, reheat the milk until hot before proceeding.)

Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and set aside a smaller bowl that can hold the finished cream and be placed in this ice bath.  Set aside a fine-mesh strainer, too.  

Whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan.  Whisking constantly, drizzle one-quarter of the hot milk over the yolks. When the yolks are warm, whisk the remainder of the milk into the yolks in a steadier stream; remove and discard the pod, or save it for another use.

Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking vigorously, bring the mixture to the boil.  Keep at the boil - still whisking energetically - for 1 to 2 minutes, then pull the pan from the heat and press the cream through the strainer into the small bowl.  Set the bowl into the ice bath (you can add some cold water now) and, stirring frequently, cool the cream to 140°F.

Remove the cream from the ice-water bath and whisk in the butter.  Return the cream to the ice-water bath and keep it there until it is thoroughly chilled.

To keep: Covered tightly with plastic wrap (press the plastic against the cream's surface to create an airtight seal), pastry cream can be refrigerated for 2 days.  To smooth the chilled cream, whisk it for a few seconds.

Makes about 2 cups.

*If using vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean, add it after you've stirred in the butter.

To make coffee pastry cream:
Whisk 1/3 cup espresso, cooled, into the pastry cream.


From Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan