Pastry cream for eclairs, banana cream pie, etc

NOTES

1. The recipe that came with the eclairs (well, the choux pastry for the eclairs) originally is below. You can use the recipe we have for custard filling in our Boston cream cupcakes (but it may be a little runny) or for the custard used in our pots de creme but leave out the cocoa.  

2. It it easier to separate eggs when they are cold.

3. Prep a pastry bag with a small tip, depending on if you did full-size or mini eclairs.

4. Clear a space in the fridge to cool the custard

5. Technically, in baking, "scalding" the milk means to warm it over medium-high heat until there are small bubbles at the pan's perimeter

6. To create a simple chocolate pastry, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips at the end of heating the custard. Otherwise, use the recipe for pots de creme (link is above).

7. Apparently this recipe is good for the cream part of banana cream pie.


INGREDIENTS

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar, separated into two 1/4 cup servings
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 Tbl unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
pastry bag
very small tip to pipe custard into eclair


PREPARATION

1. In a bowl, combine the egg, yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, and sifted cornstarch.

2. In medium saucepan,  whisk in 1/4 cups sugar to the milk and "scald" the mixture (see Notes above).

3. While whisking, slowly add a few spoonfuls of warmed milk mixture to the egg mixture to temper the eggs.

4. Transfer the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook on high, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble.

5. Take off the heat.

6. Stir in butter and vanilla.

7. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer.

8. Cover the custard with plastic wrap on the surface and then over the whole bowl, refrigerate until it's cool.

9. When eclair pastry is ready, cut small tip of pastry bag, apply small tip to the bag, "cuff" the top, and place custard into bag.

10. Gently pierce eclair shell with pastry bag, either at side or at bottom and pipe in custard until plump.

11. Top eclairs with chocolate ganache.