Creme Patisserie - KAF

By norsegal8

Ingredients

• 3 3 3 cups (24 ounces) whole milk*
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 1/2 2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise; or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) cornstarch
• 1 1 1 tablespoon King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 4 4 4 large egg yolks
• 4 4 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter, plus more for finishing
• 1% 2% use 1% or 2% milk if you like, but the pastry cream won’t be quite as thick or rich.

Preparation

Step 1

Before you begin making the recipe, set up an ice bath: a medium-sized bowl that’s resting in another bowl filled with ice water (ice cubes or crushed ice in water). It’ll come into play later, and it’s especially helpful if it’s one of the first times you’re making pastry cream. Set this ice bath aside so it’s ready at the exact moment you need it.

How to make pastry cream via @kingarthurflour
I like to scrape the inside of the split vanilla bean with a sharp pairing knife to ensure as much “vanilla caviar,” the delightful little flecks of vanilla bean, make it into the pastry cream as possible.

Time to heat things up

In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together 2 1/2 cups (20 ounces) of the milk, along with the sugar, salt, and the vanilla bean. (If you’re using vanilla extract, you’ll add it at the end.) Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

While the milk and sugar are heating up, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of milk.

How to make pastry cream via @kingarthurflour

Temper the egg yolks

Next, you’re going to temper the egg yolks. This means you’re going to raise the temperature of the yolks by whisking in some of the hot milk. Warming the eggs up slowly prevents them from scrambling when they’re added to the rest of the hot liquid.

Once you’ve added about 1/2 to 1 cup of hot milk to the egg yolks, pour the mixture through a strainer back into the remaining simmering milk, whisking constantly. Straining will catch any strands of egg whites or other lumps that you don’t want in your pastry cream, as well as the vanilla bean. (Use that vanilla bean to make your own vanilla sugar!)

Boil, baby, boil!

Bring the whole mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk until it thickens. It’s helpful to also have a spatula nearby so you can scrape the corners of the pot periodically. The pastry cream will become more difficult to stir and start to have the consistency of mayonnaise as it heats up.

Let the pastry cream cook over a boil until your whisk leaves tracks in the cream as you move it through the mixture, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the pastry cream through a fine sieve into the bowl resting in the ice bath.

Straining into a chilled bowl stops the cooking immediately, preventing the pastry cream from curdling or separating. The result is pastry cream with the perfect consistency.

How to make pastry cream via @kingarthurflour
Tip: Consider using vanilla bean paste or an extract that includes flecks of the vanilla bean for a sophisticated look.

Finish with flavor

Once you’ve boiled and strained your pastry cream, it’s time to stir in the vanilla extract (if you haven’t started with a vanilla bean).

We throw in 4 tablespoons of butter at this point for extra shine and richness. Some bakers may say this isn’t traditional, but we say it’s delicious! You’re welcome to leave it out if you want to bake by the book.

Let it cool

Rub a pat of cold butter over the top of the pastry cream and then cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Make sure it touches the surface of the pastry cream so it doesn’t develop a skin.

Now the hard part: Let the pastry cream cool in the refrigerator, about two to three hours at minimum, before using.

Feeling impatient? You can spread your pastry cream in a 9″ by 13″ pan; the larger amount of surface encourages faster cooling. If you opt for this quick-cooling method, it’s especially important that the plastic wrap is touching the entire surface of the pastry cream. You might need to give the pastry cream a quick whisk once it has cooled before using it, but you’ll have prepared pastry cream in no time at all!

How to make pastry cream via @kingarthurflour
A whisk has always been my go-to tool for making pastry cream from scratch, but you can also use an electric hand-mixer to continuously stir the mixture if your wrist isn’t feeling up for the job.

Troubleshooting

The most common downfall when learning how to make pastry cream is not cooking the custard for the right amount of time. If the mixture doesn’t come to a full boil, the cornstarch won’t thicken properly. The result is a thin, soupy pastry cream.

The good news? It still tastes delicious! Consider using your pastry cream in a frozen dessert, or serving it as a rich, creamy sauce poured over cake or ice cream. Just call it crème anglaise, and you’ll look like a wizard in the kitchen.

But if you do want to make pastry cream with the traditional consistency, make sure your mixture boils with bubbles forming in the center of the pot as well as the edges.

Don’t walk away while you’re waiting for the custard to boil — it can quickly go from simmering to a rolling boil in just a few seconds. Avoid cooking your pastry cream for longer than a few minutes while it’s at a full boil, as it will become paste-like and too thick. Be ready to remove the pot from the heat and stop the pastry cream right in its silky smooth tracks once it thickens.