This is one of the great essentials of dessert-making: you use it in all manner of cakes, éclairs, cream puffs, tarts and other pastries. You can easily vary the recipe to suit a particular need, but this is the recipe in its most basic form. Some possible modifications include:
- Steeping crushed cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick or grated nutmeg in the milk
- Go wild and use cream instead of some of the milk... but exercise caution, as too much richness does not necessarily translate to better flavour.
- Adding a tablespoon of liquor at the end
- Add some chopped chocolate towards the end to make a richer chocolate pastry cream
- Use coconut milk or another nut milk: as long as it isn't low-fat!
- Use brown sugar or maple sugar as the sweetener for a unique taste
- Mix with whipped cream for crème chiboust, used in many choux pastries
- Use a stovetop-pudding powder instead of cornstarch
- I've even seen versions made with wine or orange juice instead of the milk... If you try that, tell me how it goes.
Crème Pâtissière
2 C. Whole milk
4 Egg yolks
1/3- 1/2 C. Sugar, depending on desired sweetness
1 Vanilla bean, split, or 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 C. Cornstarch
1 TBSP Butter, optional (to increase firmness)
Heat the milk in a large saucepan until steaming. If using the vanilla bean, add and cover to let steep for 30 minutes.
Mix the yolks, sugar and starch. Bring the milk back to an almost-boil on medium-high heat and quickly whisk in a ladle full of the hot milk to the yolk mixture.
When the yolk and egg mixture is completely blended, pour back into the saucepan through a sieve to catch any clumps. Cook on medium-low heat while whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and keep whisking for another 2-3 minutes. Add the butter, if using.
Once at room temperature, pour into a bowl or container and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
Delicious!
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