Yield: 560 grams (about 2 cups)
| INGREDIENTS | METRIC (GRAMS) | VOLUMETRIC (APPROXIMATE) |
| Ginger, fresh, 2½-inch piece | 21 | 1½ tablespoons, packed grated |
| Lemon zest (optional) | 4 | Zest of 1 lemon |
| Sugar | 99 | ½ cup |
| Cornstarch | 28 | ¼ cup |
| Salt, fine | Pinch | Pinch |
| Egg yolks | 72 | 4 |
| Vanilla extract | 13 | 1 tablespoon |
| Milk | 460 | 2 cups + 2 tablespoons |
| Butter, unsalted | 28 | 2 tablespoons |
PREPARE
Grate the ginger. A box grater or Microplane works very well. Zest the lemon.
MIX
Into a small bowl, sift together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt to combine.
In a medium bowl, stir the egg yolks with the vanilla. Add the cornstarch mixture, then whisk until smooth.
COOK
In a medium pot, add the ginger and lemon zest to the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then strain.
Return the infused milk to medium heat and bring back to a simmer.
Whisk 1 cup of the milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs, stirring constantly. Whisk until fully combined. Continuing to whisk, return the egg mixture to the warm milk.
Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the butter, stirring until it completely melts. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap and chill until use. Whisk briefly before using.
For the smoothest pastry cream you may strain it immediately after it sets. I rarely bother.
Pastry cream will keep for 3 to 4 days, chilled.