After much to-do (read: chasing) he eventually came running back to our circle…munching on something. I went to investigate and found an enormous Costco-size bag of popcorn tucked in the corner of his closet. What even?? Who does this kid think he is sequestering midnight snacks?? Then I tasted it and realized how stale it was. Not only is he a sneaky sneak thief, apparently he’s been at it for a while. I looked around his closet and found other stolen items from around the house, like he’s Dobby the house elf or something. I found an open tube of toothpaste, my hair clips, Charlotte’s socks, a full glass of water, and even some floss. Maybe he’s brushing and flossing after every dive into the popcorn? I don’t know why I keep being surprised by my own kids. They never quit. Just the other day I was helping Edison get dressed and he looks me in the eye and slyly says, “Close your eyes mom, I’m naked.” 3 YEARS OLD MY FRIENDS. Excuse me while my eyes roll into the back of my head. Just like any classic recipe, there are a hundred ways to make Pastry Cream. I love this recipe because it is EASY. French cooking can get fancy fast, and if you’ve been around here for a while, you know I’m not fancy. So today we are not doing the traditional egg-tempering process, which involves transferring hot liquid into egg yolks while whisking constantly. (If it sounds annoying, that’s because it is.) Instead, I love to use the almighty hand mixer and the microwave. Heat up the milk and pour it into the eggs while beating the heck out of it. This prevents the eggs from curdling and emulsifies the mixture like a dream, and you didn’t have to call in a sous chef to whisk while you pour. The other reason I love this recipe is because it uses a lil brown sugar. This is totally untraditional and you can sub white sugar if you prefer. I love the caramel-y, deep flavor it adds though! The term ‘pastry cream’ is the English way of saying the French phrase ‘crème pâtissière.’ And thank goodness because we would absolutely butcher that pronunciation. Basically, it’s like Vanilla Pudding, but a bit thicker. I got so excited testing out different kinds of custards (in my quest for the perfect cream-filled donut) that I decided to post the Vanilla Pudding all on it’s own, having found the perfect texture on my way to Pastry Cream. Pastry cream is similar to a pudding recipe, but thicker:
Pastry cream is perfect for filling donuts and pastries because its thickness holds its shape better, meaning it’s not going to go oozing out the side. It is also thick enough that it’s not going to make your pastries soggy. Nobody wants their super flaky, buttery pastry ruined by a too-wet filling.
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram Add them to a small pot that is not on the stove. We aren’t heating anything just yet. Add the dry ingredients: sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Then pour in half the milk called for in the recipe and beat the heck out of it, until you don’t see any of these yellow yolky parts anymore. Once the mixture is nice and frothy, take a second to scrape out your vanilla bean. Slice it in half lengthwise and use the back of the knife to scrape the seeds out. Add them to a cup of milk and microwave for a couple minutes. (This helps infuse the milk with vanilla flavor.) Once the milk is hot enough that it’s bubbling, pour it into the egg mixture with the hand mixer running (so you don’t curdle your eggs.) This is the step that is replacing the normal egg-tempering process. Transfer the pot to the stove at this point and turn the heat to medium. Ignore my different pot, I did several tests and forgot to use the same one! Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 2-5 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. You must stir constantly to avoid lumps! I love to use a flat whisk for this task, it gets into the corner of your pot really well. You will know the mixture is done when the whisk leaves very clear marks on the top when you drag it across. If you have a thermometer handy, check to make sure it’s hit 200 dregrees F, for the perfect consistency. (If you don’t hit 200, that’s ok, your custard might not be as sturdy as you want it though. If you plan to pipe your pastry cream, I recommend busting out the thermometer.) Next add in a couple tablespoons of butter, and the vanilla extract (if you did not use a bean.) Whisk well. Press the hot mixture through a fine mesh strainer, just to make sure you get out any lumps from the eggs. Press the plastic wrap right on top of the pastry cream so that it doesn’t dry out and form a film on top. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours until completely chilled. Then use your whisk to stir the mixture until it’s smooth again. Keep at it! Pastry cream is meant to be thick like this, but it does take a minute to return it to its dreamy creamy glory after chilling. Now it’s time to use it in your favorite dessert recipe! Here’s my tip for filling a piping bag: put it in an empty glass for easy filling. This last picture is the pastry cream folded with whipped cream, a mixture called Crème Légère. This is a classic filling for donuts! I give details for how much whipped cream to add on my Bavarian Cream Filled Donuts post.
Bavarian Cream Donuts, the whole reason I developed this recipe! Cream puffs: use pastry cream instead of whipped cream! (please read Norine’s post that I linked here, she’s a hoot: “Cream Puffs and Eclairs are basically the same thing…the only difference? Shape! (Kind of like me and Scarlett Johansson…same thing…just different shapes!)” haha!! Eclairs On top of or in between layers of puff pastry In a trifle Pipe it into the center of a cupcake Dip fresh fruit in it! Or graham crackers or Oreos! Use it as the filling for a fruit tart Use it to fill tarts, cakes, stuffed croissants, fruit pinwheels, and more Blend with whipped cream to get a Crème Légère – a lighter, creamier style filling (makes a great fruit dip!) Add it to Buttercream frosting for a very rich, buttery frosting. Pastry Cream Ice Cream say whaaaat this is from Out of the Ordinary Food
Serve in a bowl and top with whipped cream! This may be something you want to add no matter what else you do with your pudding. A little dollop of whipped cream is always a great topper! Add cut up fruit like sliced berries, bananas, peaches, or whatever else you have around Top with granola or crushed cookies like Oreos, Nutter Butters, or Vanilla Wafers Layer it between graham crackers Add it to a pie Add candy bits, like chopped Reeses or Snickers, I’m definitely thinking Halloween time For a salty twist, chopped nuts of choice or crushed pretzels Try adding items along a theme. For example, mini chocolate chips, crushed graham crackers, and marshmallow creme for “s’mores.” Or cherry topping and crushed graham crackers for “cherry cheesecake.”
As beautifully as it stores in the fridge, I DO NOT recommend freezing this pastry cream recipe. The cooking process that binds the cornstarch to the milk proteins weaken in the freezer, and you’ll end up with a runny, watery mess. Luckily it is SUCH a fast recipe to whip up and it lasts for a good while in the fridge, so long-term storage isn’t as necessary as other recipes. See the above list on how to use pastry cream if you end up with leftovers.
