This useful pastry cream can be made up to 1 day ahead.

Ingredients:

• 115 g/4 oz sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)
• 235 ml/8 fl oz whole milk
• 120 ml/4 fl oz whipping cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

Combine the sugar, eggs, egg yolk and cornflour in a medium bowl. Set aside. Place the milk and cream in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Slowly whisk the hot milk and cream into the sugar mixture. When smooth, return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken. Bring the thickened mixture to the boil and cook for 1 minute, still whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Place plastic wrap or parchment paper on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill in the refrigerator until needed, or for a minimum of 3 hours.

Basic Pastry Cream Variations:

• Citrus-scented pastry cream: prepare the basic recipe, adding the zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange with the vanilla. Reduce the vanilla essence to 1 teaspoon.
• Cinnamon pastry cream: prepare the basic recipe, adding 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the vanilla. Reduce vanilla essence to 1 teaspoon.
• Rum-scented pastry cream: prepare the basic recipe, adding 1 tablespoon rum with the vanilla essence.
• Almond-scented pastry cream: prepare the basic recipe, reducing the vanilla essence to 1 teaspoon and adding 1 teaspoon almond essence.