Vanilla Pastry Cream

Vanilla-Pastry-Cream.jpg

Plump Bourbon Vanilla Beans find a perfect vehicle in pastry cream.

This has to be one of the most versatile recipes in your pastry arsenal. Use this pastry cream base as a filling in tarts, cakes, and cream puffs.

Pro tips:

After splitting whole vanilla beans with a paring knife, scrape the fragrant pulp of the pod with the back of the knife to avoid slicing large pieces of the pod that may difficult to remove from the finished pastry cream.

Prep:

"30 min" cook="15 min" yield="Appox. 3 cups”

What you’ll need:

  • 1 1/2 cups (375 grams) whole milk

  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) heavy cream

  • 1 Beyond Good Bourbon Vanilla Bean, split and scraped

  • 3 (60 grams) egg yolks

  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons (24 grams) corn starch

  • 2 tablespoons (930 grams) unsalted butter

Method:

  1. Combine the milk, cream, and the scraped vanilla pulp and pod in a medium sized saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and corn starch in a medium sized mixing bowl. Remove the milk from the heat and slowly temper into the egg yolks, whisking to combine.

  3. Return to heat and bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter; transfer to a shallow container and cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic film. Chill.

Jackie Tran