French Pastry Cream

• Combine dry ingredients and eggs - To a medium sized heavy bottomed stainless-steel pot, add the corn starch, sugar and salt and use a whisk to combine. Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
• Add the milk - Slowly add the warmed milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, and whisk each time until all of the milk has been added. It’s at this point you can add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste if using.
• Cook pastry cream – Cook in the pot on medium heat. Use a whisk to mix continuously. Do not stop mixing or the pastry cream will become grainy. After about 7-8 minutes the mixture will begin to thicken. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to bubble. When it bubbles, stir for 3 minutes, then take off the heat.
• Add butter - Add 1/4 of the butter and whisk until it’s melted and well combined. Repeat until all the butter has been added. You want to do this slowly, so the pastry cream doesn’t split.
• Run through a sieve – Run the thickened pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve into a medium sized mixing bowl to get rid of any lumps.
• Chill to set - Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours. Overnight is best.
• Once set – Give the pastry cream a whisk before using to smoothen it out again. This can be used to fill pastries like eclairs, cupcakes and depending on how long it was cooked for can be used in between cake layers or to fill tarts.