Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 c milk
• 2 t good quality vanilla extract
• 6 egg yolks*
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1/4 c cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 1 T butter

*Freeze your egg whites! You can drop them in ice cube trays so that they defrost quickly. Great for egg white omelettes.

1. In a saucepan over medium heat bring milk to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Set aside and let cool.
2. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly add 1/2 c of the warm milk to egg yolk mixture. Add remaining milk and whisk well.
3. Return milk and egg yolk mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of your spoon, about 7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in butter until melted and thoroughly combined.
5. Allow pastry cream to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Cover by placing plastic wrap directly on the surface to help discourage a film and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. The pastry cream will keep several days in the refrigerator.