Makes: About 2½ cups
Time: 20 minutes
A wonderful filling for Cream Puffs, tarts (page 292), and many other desserts like Mille Crêpe Cake and Boston Cream Pie. When cooled, it’s stiffer than pudding (you can pipe it quite easily into tarts and pastries), but the consistency and flavor are more delicate and especially silky. You’d also do well to sneak it into the middle of a layer cake for a creamy surprise. Using all egg yolks will yield a richer cream.
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the cornstarch and salt. Mix together the eggs or yolks and the cream. Whisk the cream-egg mixture into the sugar-cornstarch mixture over medium heat. At first, whisk occasionally to minimize the lumps. Then whisk almost constantly until the mixture just begins to boil and thickens, about 10 minutes.
2. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and continue to cook until it coats the back of a spoon; when you draw your finger through this coating, the resulting line will hold its shape (see illustration). Stir in the butter and vanilla, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and set aside. Cool the pastry cream to room temperature before using (you can refrigerate it for a few hours, topped directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming). This sauce can be prepared 1 to 2 days before you plan to use it.
CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM For filling Vanilla Whoopie Pies or Chocolate Cake: Add 2 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate to the cream mixture as it cooks.
COFFEE PASTRY CREAM Unbelievable in Cream Puffs topped with a drizzle of Chocolate Ganache: Add 2 shots freshly brewed espresso or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder to the cream mixture as it cooks.
ALMOND PASTRY CREAM Fold this into Kahlúa Almond Cake to boost the nutty flavor. Use almond extract instead of vanilla.
BOOZY PASTRY CREAM A wonderful complement for sponge and jelly-roll cakes. Omit the vanilla: Add 2 tablespoons bourbon, rum, Scotch, or port wine to the finished hot cream mixture.