Ah, pastry cream — the silky, rich custard that’s the heart of so many desserts like éclairs, tarts, and cream puffs! Here’s a secret recipe that’s creamy, smooth, and perfectly balanced, with a little trick to keep it luscious and stable.
Secret Pastry Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract)
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Pinch of salt
Instructions:
Infuse the milk:
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk with the split vanilla bean (scrape out seeds into the milk too) over medium heat until just about to boil. Remove from heat and let it steep for 10 minutes for a deep vanilla flavor. Remove the bean pod.
Mix yolks & sugar:
While the milk infuses, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt until pale and slightly thickened.
Add cornstarch:
Whisk the cornstarch into the yolk mixture until smooth. This is your thickening agent for that perfect custard texture.
Temper the eggs:
Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
Cook the cream:
Return the pan to medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil — about 1–2 minutes. Keep whisking vigorously to avoid lumps and scorching.
Finish with butter:
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. This adds silkiness and a rich mouthfeel.
Cool down:
Pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface (to prevent a skin forming) and refrigerate at least 2 hours before use.
Secret tips:
Using both cornstarch and egg yolks gives you a custard that’s thick but not starchy.
The butter at the end makes it extra smooth and rich.
Steeping the vanilla bean in the milk intensifies the flavor way beyond just vanilla extract.
Pressing plastic wrap directly on the cream’s surface avoids that annoying skin!