French Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière)

Step 1

Using a flour sifter, sift all-purpose flour and cornstarch in a large bowl and place aside. Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Separate the egg yolks from the whites using an egg separator and place the yolks in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and beat it with a hand whisk for 20 seconds. Then add the sifted dry ingredients and whisk until the mixture is thick and whitish.

Step 3

Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Split a vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds with a knife, and add them and the pod to the milk. Cover the pot with a lid and bring milk to a boil over low heat to infuse the vanilla flavor into the milk.

Step 4

Make sure to pour milk gradually and whisk constantly. Otherwise, the mixture might curdle and resemble sweet scrambled eggs. Just remember that egg yolks start to cook at about 60-70°C.

Step 5

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the remaining milk and mix well. Return the saucepan to low-medium heat and stir vigorously with a hand whisk to prevent the cream from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Step 6

The cream should boil for 2 minutes. While the gelatinization of wheat starch occurs from 52 to 64°C, gelatinization of cornstarch - from 62 to 74°C, the boiling temperature is still necessary for the thickening of the cream. Also, boiling for at least 1.5 minutes is required to sterilize the cream.

Step 7

Optionally, add the drained gelatine (optionally) to the hot cream and mix to dissolve it. Add very cold butter, cut into small pieces, and mix.

Step 8

Pass the cream through a fine sieve, pour it into a shallow dish, and cover with cling film on contact. The plastic wrap should touch the surface of the cream to prevent the formation of the crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Step 9

To use, whip the cold pastry cream with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or vigorously with a hand whisk. This will aerate the cream and restore its homogeneity and suppleness before using it.