Creme Caramel (Flan)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 eggs, plus 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Hot water, for water bath

Directions

1. Make caramel: Set aside six 6-ounce ramekins. In a small, heavy saucepan, bring 3/4 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp. water to a boil over medium-high heat, swirling pan until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Let mixture boil undisturbed until caramel is a deep amber color, about 5 minutes. Immediately remove pan from heat and swirl to mix caramel. Distribute evenly into ramekins. Let cool.
2. Prepare custard: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan, scald milk and cream over medium heat. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture and vanilla. Pour mixture through a strainer into a large liquid measuring cup. Evenly distribute the custard among the six ramekins.
3. Place the ramekins inside a 13-by-9- inch baking dish. Pour hot water around custard dishes to come halfway up sides. Bake until custard is set and golden on top, about 35-40 minutes. Remove custard cups from water bath and let cool for about 1 hour. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours.

Vegan Chickpea Sweet Potato Tofu Curry

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 1 (14 oz.) package extra firm tofu, water drained, and diced
• 1 14-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 14-oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup baby spinach, packed
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• lime wedges, for serving
• steamed brown rice, for serving
• chopped cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. In a deep pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the salt, sweet potato, tofu, chickpeas, tomatoes, and coconut milk, and stir to combine.
5. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Add in the spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook until spinach is wilted.
7. Serve over steamed brown rice, and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Bibimbap

Ingredients

• 5 cups cooked short-grain rice
• 12 ounces soy bean sprouts, washed and drained
• 8 ounces of spinach blanched and washed with the excess water squeezed out by hand
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 English cucumber
• 3 to 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ pound fresh lean cut of beef (filet mignon, flank steak)
• 4 ounces fernbrake (gosari), fresh or soaked from ½ ounce dried gosari (details below)
• 1 ounce dried bellflower roots (doraji), soaked in cold water for 18 to 24 hours.
• 4 eggs
• salt
• vegetable oil
• sesame oil
• sesame seeds
• garlic
• soy sauce
• honey (or sugar)
• Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)

Directions

1. Prepare dried fernbrake (gosari) for use: If you have presoaked or fresh fernbrake you can use it straight away, but if you have dried fernbrake you’ll need to get it ready to eat. It’s fast if you have a pressure cooker, but if you don’t it will take some time.
• With a pressure cooker: Wash ½ ounce of dried gosari and boil it with 5 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water a couple of times. Drain. It should make 4 ounces.
• In a pot on the stove: In a large saucepan add ½ ounce of dried gosari to 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 30 minutes. Cover and let stand until cool, about 2 to 3 hours. Rinse the fernbrake a couple of times, drain and put in a bowl. Cover with fresh cold water and let soak for at least 8 hours or overnight in a cool place, changing the water 2 or 3 times during the soaking. Taste the gosari: It should be soft. If it’s tough, boil it again in a fresh pot of water for about 20 minutes and then let it sit, covered, until soft. Drain. It should make 4 ounces.
2. Make rice: Rinse 2 cups of rice in cold water and scrub the wet rice with your hand. Rinse and drain until the drained water is pretty clear. Put the rice in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add 2 cups of water, cover, and soak for 30 minutes. Cook over medium high heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the surface is covered with abundant bubbles that are spluttering noisily and look like they’re about to overflow the pot. Turn the rice over a few times with a spoon and cover the pot again. Turn the heat to very low and simmer for another 10 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy. Remove from the heat. Fluff the rice with a spoon to release excess steam. Let the rice stand, covered, at room temperature to keep it warm.
3. Prepare and cook the ingredients for bibimbap;
• Soybean sprouts: Put the soy bean sprouts in a pot and add 4 cups water and 2 or 3 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over medium high heat. Take out the sprouts with tongs and put them into a bowl, leaving about ½ cup of sprouts in the pot with the water you used to boil them. This is the soup to serve with bibimbap later. In a bowl, mix the sprouts by hand with ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Put them on the large platter.
• Spinach: Cut up the blanched spinach a few times and put it in a bowl. Mix by hand with 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Cover and put it next to the soy bean sprouts on the platter.
4. Other fresh vegetables:
• Cut the carrot into matchsticks, put them in a bowl, and mix with a pinch of salt. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until sweating.
• Cut the zucchini into matchsticks and mix with ½ teaspoon salt.
• Cut the cucumber into halves lengthwise and slice thinly crosswise. Mix with ¼ teaspoon salt.
5. Beef: Cut the beef into matchsticks and put them in a bowl. Mix with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds with a spoon. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
6. Mountain vegetables: Cut the fernbrake (gosari) a few times into bite size pieces. Set aside. Put the bellflower roots (doraji) in a large bowl. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons salt. Rub for a minute to wilt slightly and release some of the bitterness. Rinse them in cold water a couple of times and drain. If you find some roots are too thick, split them lengthwise. Set aside.
7. Let’s cook!
• Heat up a pan over medium high heat. Squeeze out excess water from the carrot. Add a few drops of cooking oil to the pan and sauté the carrot for 1 minute. Put it on the platter next to the soy bean sprouts and spinach. Clean the pan with wet paper towel or wash it.
• Heat a few drops of cooking oil in the pan and squeeze out the excess water from the cucumber. Sauté with ½ teaspoon minced garlic and a few drops of sesame oil for 30 seconds. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan with a few drops of cooking oil. Add the red bell pepper and sprinkle a pinch of salt over top. Sauté for 30 seconds. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan and squeeze out excess water from the zucchini. Add a few drops of cooking oil and sauté with 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, a drop of sesame oil for 1 minute until slightly softened. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan with a few drops of cooking oil. Add the bellflower roots and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium so as not to brown them. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and a drop of sesame oil. Stir for another minute until a little softened. Put it on the platter. Clean the pan.
• Heat up the pan. Add a few drops of cooking oil. Stir the gosari for 2 minutes until a little softened. Add ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons sugar, and keep stirring for another minute. Put it on the platter.
8. Serve: Here are a couple of ways to serve: bibimbap in a regular, shallow bowl, and dolsot-bibimbap in a stone or earthenware bowl.
• In a regular, shallow bowl: Reheat the soybean sprout soup. Divide the cooked rice into 4 portions. Each portion will be a little more than 1 cup of rice. Put the rice in each of 4 bowls and arrange the vegetables and beef on the rice. Top with the egg yolk and gochujang. If you prefer your eggs and beef cooked, make sunny side up eggs and slightly pan-fry the beef before putting them on the top of rice. Sprinkle the bibimbap with the sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil to taste. Ladle the soup to a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over top. Serve right away with more hot pepper paste on the side.
• Dolsot-bibimbap in an earthenware bowl (ttukbaegi) or stone pot (dolsot): Reheat the soybean sprout soup. Put a few drops of sesame oil in the bottom of each of 4 earthenware bowls. They should be big enough to hold 4 to 6 cups each. Divide the rice among the bowls. Arrange the vegetables and beef on the rice. Top each serving with an egg yolk and 1 tablespoon gochujang. If you prefer your eggs and beef cooked, make sunny side up eggs and slightly pan-fry the beef before putting them on the top of rice. Set each pot on a burner. Heat over medium high heat until you hear a ticking, crackling sound coming from the rice. Sprinkle the bibimbap with the sesame seeds, drizzle with sesame oil to taste. Ladle the soup to a small bowl and sprinkle some chopped green onion over top. Serve right away with more hot pepper paste on the side.
9. Eat: Gently but firmly mix everything together in the bowl with your spoon. Try not to crush the more delicate ingredients. Eat with your spoon.

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, separated
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 3 Tbsp white sugar, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Canola oil (or any other vegetable oil), for cooking

Directions

1. In a small grease-free bowl, whip the egg white, cream of tartar, and 1 Tbsp white sugar together using a whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, remaining 2 Tbsp sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolk, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter together.
4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and stir till mostly incorporated. The batter should be thick and a little lumpy, but without any visible streaks of flour. If it is too thick to work with, add a little milk. Set the batter aside for 5-10 minutes. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until no white streaks remain.
5. Heat a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan over a low-medium heat and coat it with oil. Use a 1/4-cup measure to scoop and drop the batter into the pan so that you get evenly-sized pancakes.
6. Cook until the first side is golden brown, or until the top surface forms bubbles. Flip and repeat on the other side. Adjust heat accordingly. Serve while still hot.

Traditional Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup "fed" sourdough starter
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Combine the starter, water, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously for 1 minute.
2. Cover, and let rest at room temperature for 4 hours. Refrigerate overnight, for about 12 hours.
3. Add the remaining ingredients: 2 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and sour salt, if you're using it. Knead to form a smooth dough.
4. Allow the dough to rise in a covered bowl until it's relaxed, smoothed out, and risen. Depending on the vigor of your starter, it may become REALLY puffy, or it may just rise a bit. This can take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours. Understand this: sourdough bread (especially sourdough without added yeast) is as much art as science; everyone's timetable will be different. So please allow yourself to go with the flow, and not treat this as an exact, to-the-minute process.
5. Gently divide the dough in half.
6. Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves, and place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until very puffy, about 2 to 4 hours. Don't worry if the loaves spread more than they rise; they'll pick up once they hit the oven's heat. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
7. Spray the loaves with lukewarm water.
8. Make two fairly deep diagonal slashes in each; a serrated bread knife, wielded firmly, works well here.
9. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it's a very deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients

Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cream, half and half, or milk

Filling:

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup-1/3 cup granulated white sugar (or to taste)

Topping:

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 1-2 tablespoons granulated white sugar (or to taste)

Directions

1. Scones: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Whisk together the egg, cream and vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.
3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat or roll the dough into a 7 inch round. With a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack.
4. Filling: Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries. Place about one third of the strawberries in a large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining sliced strawberries, along with the sugar. (The amount of sugar used will depend on how sweet the berries are.) Set aside to macerate at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes.
5. Whipped Cream: Chill the bowl and whisk in the freezer for about 15 - 30 minutes. Place the cream and sugar in the bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for a few hours.
6. To serve: Cut the scones in half and place the bottom half of the scone (soft side up) on a dessert plate. Top with some of the strawberries and whipped cream. Place the top half of the scone on the strawberries. Top with whipped cream and a few more strawberries. If there is any juice from the strawberries, drizzle a little over the top of the scone. Serve immediately.

Baozi (Chinese Steamed Pork Buns)

Ingredients

For the buns:

• 1 tablespoon (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water, plus additional as needed
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:

• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Chinese cabbage or bok choy
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
• 1 garlic glove, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry or rice wine
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. For the buns, in a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Allow to proof until bubbly and creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, and baking powder into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the salt. Turn the mixer on low speed, and pour in the warm water-yeast mixture until the dough begins to form a ball. If it looks too dry, add more water, tablespoon by tablespoon, until it forms a ragged clump. Continue to knead on low speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, shiny, and springy to the touch. (Alternately, you can do this by hand: Dribble the water into a large bowl holding the flour mixture, using one hand to slowly mix it in a circular direction. When it forms the ragged clump, turn the dough out onto a floured countertop and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and shiny.)
3. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, flipping the dough to coat it in oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Store the bowl in a warm, draft free place until it doubles in size, approximately 2 to 3 hours.
4. For the filling, combine the pork, cabbage, scallions, soy, sesame oil, and sherry in a large bowl. Set aside.
5. Cut 16 squares (approximately 3-inches each) of wax or parchment paper. Spray each square with cooking oil.
6. Punch the dough down, then divide in half. Roll each half into a rectangular log. Using a pastry cutter, slice each log into 8 pieces (16 pieces of dough in total). Roll a slice into a ball, then shape it into a thin, flat disc (like a pancake). Try to keep the center of the disc thicker than the edges. (Once steamed, this keeps the bun from being too doughy on one side and too thin on the other.)
7. Spoon a dollop of filling into the center of the disc. Pull the edges up around the filling and pinch together to form a bun. Place the bun on a square of parchment paper and cover with a towel. Continue this process with the rest of the dough until all of the buns are filled. Allow the buns to rest for 20 - 30 minutes.
8. To cook, prepare the steamer basket. Working in batches, position filled buns (each still on its parchment square!) into the steamer, allowing room on all sides. (The cooked buns will be up to 50 percent larger.)
9. Steam the buns for 15 minutes, then remove the pan and basket from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing the lid. Remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the buns and serve immediately. To reheat heat buns (they will keep for a few days in the refrigerator), pop in the microwave for 30 seconds or re-steam.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup dried currants

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
3. With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
4. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
5. Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hotteok

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast (about 1 packet)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoon chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Hotteok dough: Place the lukewarm water into a mixing bowl. Add white sugar, yeast, salt, vegetable oil, and stir it well. Add 2 cups of all purpose flour and mix it with a rice scoop, or by hand.
2. Let the dough rise. It should sit with the lid closed at room temperature for 1 hour.
3. After an hour the dough will rise to double its size. Knead it to remove the gas bubbles in the dough. Let it rise for another 10-20 minutes.
4. Make filling (for 8 hotteok): Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon powder, and chopped walnuts in a bowl.
5. Make the hotteok: Knead the dough again to remove the gas bubbles.
6. Place and spread about 1/2 cup flour on your cutting board.
7. Put the dough on your cutting board and knead it. Make it into a lump, and cut it into 8 equal-sized balls.
8. Take 1 dough ball, flatten it, put some filling in the center of the dough, and then seal it to make a ball. Repeat this 8 times to make 8 stuffed balls. (Use some flour from the cutting board to prevent your fingers from sticking to the dough.)
9. Heat up your non-stick pan over medium heat and add some vegetable oil.
10. Place 1 ball on the pan and let it cook for 30 seconds.
11. When the bottom of the dough ball is light golden brown, turn it over and press the dough with a spatula to make a thin and wide circle (about the size of a CD). Let it cook about 1 minute until the bottom is golden brown.
12. Turn it over again and turn down the heat very low. Place the lid on the pan and cook 1 more minute. The brown sugar filling mixture will be melted to syrup!
13. Serve hot!

Cream Puffs

Ingredients

Vanilla pastry Cream:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar or more

Choux Pastry:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional (for sweet)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, optional (for sweet)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

Directions

1. Pastry cream: Bring the milk with the vanilla bean (and scrapings) to a boil, then set aside for 10 minutes; remove bean. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.
2. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.
3. Once cool, pass the pastry cream through a sieve once more. Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the pastry cream. Refrigerate until needed.
4. Choux pastry: In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in a 375F preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
6. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pastry cream mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the cream into the shells.

**You can make these into eclairs by piping the choux pastry into oblongs on the baking sheet. Once filled with the pastry cream, dip the eclair in chocolate ganache and let set.

Mille Crepe (Crepe Cake)

Ingredients

Crepe Batter:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch salt

Vanilla pastry Cream

• 2 cups milk
• 1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter

For the assembly:

• Corn oil
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar or more
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. The day before, make the crepe batter and the pastry cream:
2. Batter: In a small pan, cook the butter until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. In another small pan, heat the milk until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes. In a mixer on medium-low speed, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Pastry cream: Bring the milk with the vanilla bean (and scrapings) to a boil, then set aside for 10 minutes; remove bean. Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside a small bowl that can hold the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath.
4. In a medium heavy-bottomed pan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-meshed sieve into the small bowl. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover and refrigerate.
5. Assemble the cake the next day: Bring the batter to room temperature. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over medium heat. Swab the surface with the oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1 minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers. Cook on the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes.
6. Pass the pastry cream through a sieve once more. Whip the heavy cream with the tablespoon sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the pastry cream.
7. Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a thin layer of pastry cream (about 1/4 cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to make a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least 2 hours. Set out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for crème brûlée, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners' sugar. Slice like a cake.