Custard Filling

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 Tablespoons flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract, or seeds scraped out of 1 vanilla bean pods

Directions

1. Scald the milk and butter in a large pyrex measuring cup by microwaving for 2-3 minutes.
2. Beat the egg yolk with a whisk, and add the flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar.  Whisk together to form a thick paste.
3. Add about 1/3 of the warm milk mixture to the paste, and whisk constantly.  (This step tempers the egg, and loosens up the paste so that you can add the remaining warm milk.)  Add the second 1/3 of the warm milk, and whisk until combined.  Then add the last 1/3 of the warm milk, and whisk until combined.
4. Strain the egg mixture into a saucepan.  (This will catch any lumps, and any bits of egg that may have “scrambled”.)
5. Add the vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract, or scraped vanilla bean guts), then slowly heat the saucepan over medium low heat (whisking constantly).  When the mixture thickens so that swirl lines appear, remove from heat and continue whisking another 30 seconds.
6. Refrigerate the custard cream until cold and thick in a covered container for several hours. Use as filling for Chinese Steamed Buns or other things.