Pastry Cream/Custard

Directions

1. 1
   Warm up the milk in a pan until it's bubbling slightly.
2. 2
   You can split a vanilla bean and put it in at this point.
3. 3
   Put all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix.
4. 4
   You don't have to sift the cake flour.
5. 5
   Add the Step 2 mixture to the warm milk from Step 1 little by little while mixing.
6. 6
   Strain it through a fine mesh sieve or a tea strainer, and return to the pan.
7. 7
   Heat over medium.
8. 8
   As you mx it it will gradually become thicker, so keep mixing so that lumps don't form.
9. 9
   It's difficult to explain, but when it's thickening it will feel kind of heavy.
10. 10
    If you keep mixing it.
11. 11
    ...the heavy clumps will become soft and creamy.
12. 12
    This is the sign to take the pan off the heat.
13. 13
    Transfer the sauce to a flat container or tray, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
14. 14
    Put in the freezer to cool down fast.
15. 15
    (If you put it in the refrigerator, it will cool slowly, which may lead to bacteria growth.)
16. 16
    Make the creme chantilly (whipped cream).
17. 17
    Mix the ingredients together and whip until quite stiff.
18. 18
    When the sauce from Step 7 has cooled down, pass through a sieve.
19. 19
    Mix the Step 8 and 9 creams together with a rubber spatula.
20. 20
    If you mix too much it will be come thick and gloopy, so stop when you can still see the whipped cream a little.
21. 21
    Done.
22. 22
    Use forCream Puffs (choux a la creme)
23. 23
    Use forEclairs.