Recipe: (International) Pastry Cream

Winner of the James Beard/ KitchenAid Cookbook of the Year 2000 and Winner of the Beard Award for the Best Writing on Food 2000.

June 1, 2023

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Pastry Cream
Region: International
Category: Basic Recipes and Sauces
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy and Quick

This is the basic recipe I use when making French-style fruit tarts. It's very easy.

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

1 cup milk

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, mix all the ingredients over medium heat, whisking constantly until the custard forms and thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. Once it is harder to whisk, quickly reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 minute whisking a bit more vigorously. Remove from the heat, let cool a bit and cover with plastic wrap pushed down on top of the custard so a skin does not form. Refrigerate until needed.

Posted: 06/14/2008

"Grill Italian hooks the cook in the introduction. Who would not want to light the grill after reading the author's description of an alfresco dinner in Sicily ? The recipes are generally on the simple side, relying on the fresh ingredients and herbs for flavor rather than on heavy marinades and bastings. I love the frequent trick of alternating items on skewers with cubes of oil-soaked bread or that of sprinkling on bread crumbs to add texture ? Sausages, onions and oranges skewered together offer a delightful change of pace."
- Florence Fabricant, New York Times

There are so many interesting flavors and combinations here [in Mediterranean Vegetables]. Having had the honor of eating some of these dishes cooked by Cliff’s own hand, I know how good they really are. I can’t wait to cook them myself.
- Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and The Greens Cookbook

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