Baking Basics: How to Make Pastry Cream

Yields: 5 cups
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ready In: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 Egg Yolks
1 cup Granulated sugar (Can be substituted for brown sugar)
1 cup Cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups heated milk
1 pad unsalted butter (Optional)

Variations:
You can add Coffee grounds to milk
You can add spices, citrus, rum, any many other ingredients.

Directions:
1. In a bowl add your 4 egg yolks and add in 1 cup sugar then whisk the two together.

2. Add in cornstarch and whisk some more. Add in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and whisk that in. In a pot heat up 4 cups of milk in medium heat. Once milk is hot slowly pour into the egg yolks while whisking, tempering the mixture.

3. Once mixed together pour it back into the pot and stir constantly in medium heat. Use a flat-bottom rubber spatula to go back and forth string the mixture. Continue to mix and heat for 5 minutes.

4. Once it starts to thicken and you see chunks, switch to a whisk and whisk it back to being smooth and then switch back to your rubber spatula and continue to mix. When it is thicken and starts to bubble, turn off the heat and add in a pad of butter (Optional).

5. Whisk the butter together with the cream. Take the cream and pour it out into a clean bowl. Put plastic wrap right on the surface of the cream to store in refrigerator to cool. Your good to start adding this cream to your baking!