Vanilla Pastry Cream

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 6 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons flour or corn starch

Preparation

Step 1

Place the milk and vanilla bean in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and keep hot.

Beat the sugar and egg yolk together until the mixture whitens and forms a ribbon; then gently stir in cornstarch or flour.

Strain out the vanilla bean and pour the hot milk into the egg and sugar mixture, continually beating. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Boil for 1-minute stirring vigorously, then pour into a bowl and lightly rub the surface of the cream with a lump of butter to keep skin from forming as it cools.