Recipe By America's Test Kitchen
Published on May 5, 2025
Pastry cream is the key ingredient in many desserts, so we developed a foolproof recipe for it.
Time
20 minYield
Makes about 3 cupsWhy This Recipe Works
For the richest texture, we used egg yolks, not whites, in the custard. Cornstarch helped prevent the eggs from curdling, while butter gave the custard a silky texture. To maximize its impact, we added vanilla extract to the custard only after the sauce came off the heat. To prevent the custard from developing a skin as it cooled, we pressed parchment paper directly onto its surface.
Ingredients
5 large egg yolks
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
Pinch salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
Cook along with these step-by-step instructions
- Whisk egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch in medium bowl until mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 1 minute; set aside. Heat milk, salt, and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
- Gradually whisk half of milk mixture into yolk mixture to temper. Return milk-yolk mixture to saucepan. Return to simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and 3 or 4 bubbles burst on surface, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer mixture to clean bowl, press parchment paper directly onto surface, and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.
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