Pastry custard or pastry cream can be used for so many desserts, it can be fillings for cream-puffs, tarts, layer cakes, pies, and many more. Pastry custard recipes can be full of richness from fresh cream and butter, but this pastry custard recipe aims for a lighter, fluffier version.
Ingredients:
500 ml milk (whole milk - 2% milk)*
80 ml cream*
100 grams sugar
55 grams cornflour
2 mid-size eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Steps for pastry custard:
- Heat milk in a pan, remove the pan from heat right before the milk boils, and set aside.
- In a separate bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cornflour mix well with a whisk.
- Next slowly add in 1/3 of the heated milk and continue to mix well.
- Then pour the mixture into the remaining milk in the pan and turn on the stove to medium heat. Stir quickly to avoid lumps forming while the mixture thickens as it heats up. Stir the custard until the entire mixture is smooth and shiny, pour in the cream, and stir as it thickens up again, then remove from the heat.
- Pour the custard into a bowl to cool, make sure to cover the custard well to avoid a skin forming on the top as it cools. The custard can be kept in the refrigerator up to 2 days before use.
- Whisk the cooled custard before use to bring back the smooth texture. You can add whipped cream or additional cream to make the custard lighter and fluffier.
*I have made pastry custard with 2% milk (500 ml) and no cream, the custard turned out beautiful, lighter and healthier...maybe I will try it with oat milk or almond milk and see how the custard turns out.
Recipe using pastry custard:
