It’s always a good idea to have a pastry cream recipe in your back pocket.

This is my streamlined easy vanilla pastry cream which does not require tempering of the eggs. The reason to perform the tempering process is if you are adding warm or hot milk to your eggs, This usually occurs when you are heating the milk in order to infuse it with a flavoring like a vanilla bean, citrus zest, etc.

For this recipe I add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste at the end so it is not necessary to heat the milk.

I get it…infusing your pastry cream with a beautifully fragrant fresh vanilla bean gives you optimal flavor. But if you are looking for a streamlined method or just find that vanilla beans are too expensive right now, this is the recipe for you!

Easy Vanilla Pastry Cream

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

66 Grams Granulated Sugar ⅓ Cup
Pinch Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons of Corn Starch
3 Large Egg Yolks
240 ml Whole Milk 1 Cup
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste

Instructions

Place the sugar, salt and corn starch in a saucepan and whisk to combine.
Add the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the milk and whisk again until all ingredients are combined.
Place the pot over medium heat and whisk the mixture. Occasionally scrap the bottom of the pan with a spatula to make sure the pastry cream does not stick to the bottom as it thickens.
The mixture will begin to thicken. Continue whisking until you see bubbles break the surface. Continue whisking for about a minute, while it is bubbling.
Remove from the heat and add the butter and vanilla extract. Mix until the butter is melted.
Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a bowl.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the pastry cream and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
When ready to use, remove the pastry cream from the fridge and beat with a whisk until smooth.