Creme Patissiere (Vanilla Pastry Cream) is a rich, creamy custard that can be used in various desserts, and this recipe is simply delicious! Follow the instructions on this recipe with a step-by-step photo tutorial and see how easy it is.
In a saucepan, pour the milk. Scrape half a vanilla pod with a knife and add the seeds and the pod to the milk. Bring everything to a boil over low heat to infuse the vanilla into the milk.
Separate the yolks from the whites of 4 eggs, and put them in a bowl. Add 6 tbsp sugar and beat vigorously with a whisk until the mixture turns white and the sugar crystals have dissolved.
Gradually add 60g (4 tbsp) of cornstarch to the egg yolk and sugar mixture. Mix gently so as not to form lumps.
Once the mixture is homogeneous, pour half of the vanilla-flavored milk - just boiling - over the cream maker. Mix delicately first, then more vigorously to loosen the cream. When the cream is very soft, pour it back into the saucepan with the remaining half of the milk.
Return the saucepan to low heat. Constantly whisking until it starts to thicken – this should take about 2 Minutes.
After you see the first bubbles break the surface. Remove from the heat, pour the custard into a bowl and add the butter. Whisk in the butter until it's thoroughly mixed in and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap.
As soon as the pastry cream is ready and cooling down, cover your cream with plastic wrap to avoid the creme patissiere form a skin, which will spoil its texture.
Notes
You can Substitute the sugar for Stevia because it's calorie-free. You can also substitute the whole milk for plant-based milk like almond milk, coconut milk, or even soy milk, and plant-based butter can replace the regular butter. Those are good alternatives that help you stay full on fewer calories.