Coffee Pastry Cream

Step 1

Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the vanilla bean scrapings and the pod. Remove the pot from the heat, cover it, and let the mixture cool and infuse for 20 minutes. Discard the pod and stir the milk to distribute the vanilla evenly.

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 3

Place the egg yolks in a separate, larger bowl. Whisk in the sugar-cornstarch mixture until smooth and thoroughly incorporated. The mixture should be fluffy and pale.

Step 4

Whisk a small amount of the still-warm, vanilla-infused milk into the egg yolk mixture; this is called tempering. Then, whisk that mixture into the saucepan of vanilla-infused milk. Place over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, to form a thickened custard. A trail left by the whisk should hold.

Step 5

Transfer to a large bowl; gradually add the cubes of cold butter to the custard, whisking constantly, until they are completely emulsified and the custard is glossy. This is your pastry cream.

Step 6

Whisk in the coffee extract until well incorporated. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream. Refrigerate until well chilled before using.