Vanilla Pastry Cream for Cream Puffs

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Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to steam and bubbles form around the edge. Remove milk from burner.

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a bowl. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth, then gradually whisk in 1/2 the hot milk.

Pour the egg-milk misture into the remaining milk in the pan, and return the pan to burner. Cook custard over medium heat, whisking often, until thick. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly, to eliminate the starchy taste of the flour and to thicken further.

Off heat, stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic, pressing it onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill before using.