Recipe

Pastry Cream

By Tim Chin

Once you make my Pineapple Buns, you’ll probably want to fill them with pastry cream. I’ve got you covered. In 2009 Francisco Migoya popularized an innovative technique for making pastry cream (based on research done at the food science think tank Alícia in Spain) that creates a super-smooth pastry cream without the risk of overcooking and scrambling the egg yolks. The secret is to bring to the milk and sugar to a rolling boil and pour it over the yolks and cornstarch in one swift motion. The yolks coagulate and the cornstarch gels within seconds, eliminating the need to go back to the stovetop. I added gelatin for a bit of stability, making it easier to pipe into my Pineapple Buns.  

Yield
Makes about 3¾ cups (1,000 grams)
Ingredients
5 g unflavored gelatin
25 g cold water
60 g plus 690 g whole milk, divided
60 g cornstarch
150 g egg yolks (from about 9 eggs)
150 g sugar
2 g salt
45 g unsalted butter
6 g vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
5 teaspoons cold water
¼ cup plus 3 cups whole milk, divided
½ cup cornstarch
9  egg yolks
⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 5 g unflavored gelatin
    • 25 g cold water
    • 60 g cornstarch
    • 60 g whole milk
    • 150 g egg yolks
    • 690 g whole milk
    • 150 g sugar
    • 2 g salt
    Sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. In bowl of stand mixer, whisk cornstarch and 60 grams milk until smooth; whisk in egg yolks until smooth. In large saucepan, whisk together 690 grams milk, sugar, and salt and bring to boil over medium-high heat; turn off heat and cover to keep warm. 
  1. Bring 2 inches water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Place mixer bowl over simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 100 degrees F/37.8 degrees C. Meanwhile, return saucepan with milk mixture to high heat and bring to rolling boil (liquid will start to climb sides of saucepan).
    • 45 g unsalted butter
    • 6 g vanilla extract
    Working quickly, transfer mixer bowl to stand mixer fitted with whisk. With mixer on high speed, pour in boiling milk mixture in one motion (do not add gradually) and mix until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add gelatin mixture, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl; spray plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and press onto surface of pastry cream. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours or up to 2 days. Before serving, whisk pastry cream until smooth. Click here for our recipe for Pineapple Buns with Cream filling recipe.
Instructions
    • 1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
    • 5 teaspoons cold water
    • ½ cup cornstarch
    • ¼ cup whole milk
    • 9 egg yolks
    • 3 cups whole milk
    • ⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    Sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. In bowl of stand mixer, whisk cornstarch and ¼ cup milk until smooth; whisk in egg yolks until smooth. In large saucepan, whisk together 3 cups milk, sugar, and salt and bring to boil over medium-high heat; turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
  1. Bring 2 inches water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Place mixer bowl over simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture registers 100 degrees F/37.8 degrees C. Meanwhile, return saucepan with milk mixture to high heat and bring to rolling boil (liquid will start to climb sides of saucepan).
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    Working quickly, transfer mixer bowl to stand mixer fitted with whisk. With mixer on high speed, pour in boiling milk mixture in one motion (do not add gradually) and mix until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add gelatin mixture, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl; spray plastic wrap with vegetable oil spray and press onto surface of pastry cream. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours or up to 2 days. Before serving, whisk pastry cream until smooth. Click here for our recipe for Pineapple Buns with Cream filling recipe. 
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