Fresh Lemon Pastry Cream

Photo: flickr user LittleMissCupcakeParis

Ingredients

5 lrg Egg yolks

3/4 cup Cornstarch

3 cups Heavy cream

1/2 cup Fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups Sugar

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Whisk to blend well. Set aside.

Combine the remaining 2 cups cream, lemon juice and sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and bring to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Be forewarned: the mixture will break. Don't be alarmed. Pour it into a glass bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely at room temperature.

When cooled pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip. Beat at medium speed to combine the mixture. If it will not combine, warm another 1/2 cup heavy cream and slowly add it to the mixture. Whip until you have a thick and creamy custard.

This recipe yields about 3 1/2 cups.