Pastry cream

One of my most used creams is pastry cream. It is simple to make and it tastes amazing for filling biscuits and roll biscuits. I also use it in combination with other creams if I need another flavor or consistency.

INGREDIENTS:

• 500 ml cream

• 3 eggs

• 30 g maizena /2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 100 gram caster sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence /vanilla sugar/vanilla stick (Depending on your personal preference)

• 25 gram COLD butter chopped into small pieces (this is not necessary)

THE PROCESS:

1. Add the Maizena/cornstarch to a thick bottom pot.

2. add a little of the cream and mix until the maizena/cornstarch is fully incorporated.

3. Add the rest of the cream and stir it a little

4. add the 1) sugar 2) vanilla 3) eggs and stir it all up well

5. Heat up while stirring on medium/ medium high heat

6. At some point it will start cooking make sure to stir violently so it does not burn on the bottom while cream thickens

7. take of the fire but keep stirring since the pot is still warm until you are sure it won't burn.

8. If you want to add butter this is the time to stir the butter into the cream, the cold butter will cool the cream faster.

9. Sift it into a glass container.

10. cover it with microfilm so there are no air pockets between the film and the cream

11. Refrigerate to next day or to completely cool and set.

NOTE:

• BUTTER: You can add butter to give the cream a richer taste and a more silky consistency but it is not necessary. Make sure that the butter is cold when added to the cream.

• VANILLA: The vanilla can be added accordingly to your own taste but also depending on what you are going to use the cream for. If you are going to mix it up with a buttercream or chocolate there is no need to add a strong vanilla flavor to it. If you are going to use it as the main cream maybe you want to add a more quality/quantity vanilla for a richer flavor.

• EGGS: Depending on how you like the cream you can use egg yolks. Replacement ratio is 2 yolks per egg. If you are using small eggs you can add another egg to the cream.