Pastry Cream

2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3-inch piece of vanilla bean
or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
5 large egg yolks
3 tbsp unsifted all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  1. Place milk and 1/4 cup of sugar in a large saucepan. Stir to combine. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise and add to milk. Cook over low heat without stirring until milk forms skin on surface.
  2. Whisk egg yolks well in large bowl. Gradually whisk in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until slightly thickened.
  3. Remove vanilla bean from milk. With paring knife, scrape seeds from pod. Whisk seeds into yolks, reserving pod. Sift flour, cornstarch and salt together. Stir into yolks. Whisk until smooth.
  4. Stir 1/3 of hot milk into yolks to temper them. Pour yolk mixture into remaining milk, stirring well. Add vanilla pod. Over low heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with whisk. After it comes to a boil, continue to simmer for at least 1 minute. If you cook the mixture too hot or too quickly, it will curdle. If this happens, you can put it through a fine seive to filter out the solids. This works very well.
  5. Remove pastry cream from heat. Discard vanilla bean. Dot top with butter. If using vanilla extract, add it now. Stir briefly to blend in butter.
  6. Empty into medium bowl. Tear square of plastic wrap and butter a circle in the center. Lay plastic against pastry cream to prevent skin from forming. Let cool in refrigerator.