I love the way the contestants on The Great British Bake-Off whip up "crème pat" for just about every other challenge. They do it almost automatically and I like that — it's a workmanlike way of going about making what's really a workhorse in the kitchen. Pastry cream — crème pâtissière — is the go-to filling for cream puffs, êclairs, fruit tarts, beignets (aka doughnuts) and all-American layer cakes (think Boston Cream Pie). Essentially, it's a pudding, an egg custard thickened with cornstarch. I'm giving you a recipe for a vanilla cream, but the flavoring is easily varied.
Click for a printable recipe
The cornstarch: This recipe makes a very firm pastry cream that, when chilled, cuts neatly — a particularly nice thing when you're using it for tarts and cakes. If you'd like a more fluid cream, use a little less cornstarch.
The butter: The butter adds richness to the cream as well as body. Adding the full amount of butter will give you a thicker, firmer cream that's good any time you want a filling that can stand up on its own.
Flavoring: You can add flavor to the cream by adding whole spices to the milk. Warm the milk with the spices, turn off the heat, cover the pan (you don't want the milk to evaporate) and steep for 15 to 30 minutes. Bring the milk to a simmer and, when you add it to the yolks, pour it through a strainer, so you can catch and then discard the solids. (If it looks as though you've lost some milk during the steep, top it off.)
Makes about 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
6 large egg yolks (it's good if they're cool)
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup (30 to 43 grams) cornstarch, sifted (see above)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons (1 to 1 3/4 ounces; 28 to 50 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened (see above)
Photo: Meg Zimbeck
Rinse a medium saucepan with cold water, but don’t dry it (this helps prevent the milk from scorching). Pour the milk into the pan and heat until you see bubbles around the perimeter of the pan.
Meanwhile, working in a medium bowl (put it on a folded dish towel or a silicone pot holder to anchor it), whisk the yolks and sugar together until thoroughly blended. Add the cornstarch and whisk for one minute more, until the mixture thickens and pales. Whisking constantly — making pastry cream is its own kind of workout — drizzle in about one quarter of the hot milk. When the yolks are warm, add the rest of the liquid in a steadier stream.
Pour the mixture into the saucepan, set it over medium heat and, whisking vigorously and nonstop - also, taking care to get into the corners of the pan— cook until you see a bubble or two come to the surface and pop. Gather your energy and keep whisking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and, if the cream isn’t smooth, press it through a sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla.
Let the pastry cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then stir in the butter bit by bit.
Photos: Meg Zimbeck
Press a piece of plastic wrap (or buttered parchment paper) against the surface of the cream and refrigerate it until it’s thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours; or fill a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water, set the bowl of pastry cream in it and stir occasionally until it’s cold. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
STORING: Covered well, pastry cream will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Whisk it well to loosen it before using.
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