Caramel Pastry Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Stir together the milk, salt, vanilla bean and seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar has just dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Continue to whisk until smooth. (This is called tempering, and it will prevent the yolks from scrambling.) Continue whisking and adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until completely combined and smooth.
• Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Before serving, whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.

Steps:

• Place the cornstarch and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl and mix together well; add egg yolks and mix until a paste is formed. Stir in 1/2 cup milk. Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar and water in a small heavy pot and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until sugar turns a medium amber. Carefully pour in remaining milk and stir until smooth, Stir in vanilla seeds. Bring mixture back to a simmer then pour hot mixture over mixture in bowl, whisking constantly. Pour back into saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir an additional minute. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with buttered parchment or plastic wrap touching top of cream to avoid skin formation. Chill a minimum of 2 hours or as long as 2 days.