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Triumph! Perfect Pastry Cream!

You can’t see CurvyMama, but she’s dancing around the kitchen in her apron, waving a happy whisk in the air. Why all this jubilation after 10 p.m. on a weekday? I made the perfect pastry cream!

I have suffered through the slings and arrows of outrageously–and inexplicably–runny pastry cream. So I am savoring this victory, knowing that on another occasion I might screw it up again and lose all hope.

For now, let me celebrate with this picture:

See the lovely shine? The perfect consistency? The charming little specks of vanilla?

I can attest to its perfection: I thawed out a tiny eclair pastry that I had frozen (I know, people like me have such things in our freezers) and spooned a little bit of the cream into it: wonderful!

I will dream creamy, happy dreams. And I will leave you with the recipe.

Pastry Cream

CurvyMama Pies
Creme patisserie for pie and tart fillings.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 c. whole milk
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 vanilla bean split open
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter chopped into small pieces

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan, combine the milk and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk and add the pod, too. Put a medium-high flame under the pan.
  • Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until lightened. Little by little, whisk in the cornstarch.
  • When the milk is hot enough to give off steam, temper the eggs by slowly drizzling about one-third of the hot milk into them, whisking constantly.
  • Pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan and discard the vanilla bean. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
  • When the custard starts to make big, slow "blurp" bubbles, reduce heat to medium-low and cook -- and whisk -- a minute or two more.
  • Remove from heat. Pour through a sieve. Stir in the butter until it's incorporated. Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the cream and chill.

  1. Kathy

    Looks amazing.