The classic French vanilla pastry cream is so delicious and versatile. Here I used it for a roasted peanut butter and Summer Berry Napoleon. I'm kind of referring to it as a French pastry peanut butter and jelly. I have a video coming to my Instagram on how I made the pastry cream and assembled this delicious crispy mess. For now, here is the recipe:
Yield 4 cups Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin
3 teaspoons of ice water
2 cups (490g) whole milk
1/2 cup (100) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/4 cup (28g) cornstarch
6 large egg yolks
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
In a small bowl combine the gelatin and the cold water and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and corn starch until just combined.
In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, sugar, and salt and bring it to a simmer.
Once the milk has reached a simmer but is not yet boiling, turn off the heat and slowly stream about half of it it in to the egg mixture in the mixing bowl while whisking vigorously. This will temper the egg yolks and prevent them from scrambling.
Add the tempered mixture back to the saucepan.
Over medium high heat, whisk the cream until it begins to thicken. This will happen after about 3-5 minutes. Once it has thickened, turn off the heat and add the gelatin and the vanilla extract. Allow the gelatin to melt and stir it around to incorporate it.
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap on top of the cream to prevent it from forming a skin. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Once the pastry cream has chilled, whip the heavy whipping cream on high in a stand mixer until it reaches soft peaks. Add in the pastry cream slowly and allow it to stir until it becomes smooth. *If you are planning to bake the pastry cream in a tart, do not fold in the heavy whipping cream. There you have it! Simple and classic. Save this recipe so you'll always have it when you need it.
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