- Cornstarch: I use cornstarch to thicken my pastry cream. It’s typically very easy to find, and many people already have it in their pantries. You could use another type of starch, such as potato starch, but the thickening properties may vary slightly, and you may need to adjust the amounts accordingly.
- Eggs: You’ll need whole eggs for making the pâte à choux and egg yolks for making the crème pâtissière. See the FAQs below for what to do with the leftover egg whites. Hint: do NOT throw them away.
- Unsalted Butter: Always use unsalted butter for baking so you can control the amount of salt. I like to leave my butter out at room temperature overnight to allow it to soften enough for baking.
HOW TO MAKE CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE (FIRST STEP OF THE CUSTARD FILLING)
Place milk, sugar, and the salt into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until simmering.
Meanwhile, in a heat-proof mixing bowl whisk together additional sugar and cornstarch and then stir or whisk in egg yolks until smooth. It will be fairly thick.
Once the milk is simmering, remove from the heat and then very gradually but vigorously whisk in about ½ cup of it to the egg yolk mixture.
Helpful tip: If you put a damp paper towel under the bowl, it won’t spin around on the counter while you whisk. You’ll need both hands free, one to pour in the milk and the other to whisk, so you can’t hold the bowl’s edge with your free hand.
Pour the egg mixture back into a saucepan with the remaining milk. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and continue whisking the mixture until it thickens, about 5 to 9 minutes. Don’t stop whisking or it can get lumpy and curdle. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
Transfer the mixture to a large shallow container. The larger surface area will help it cool faster. Cover with plastic wrap so the plastic is pressed against the surface of the custard. This will prevent a skin from forming.
To continue reading, scroll down and click Next 👇👇👇
ADVERTISEMENT
