Vanilla Pastry Cream - Le Creuset Giveaway - Stainless Steel 2-Quart Saucier

Vanilla Pastry Cream, or Creme Patissiere, can be used in so many ways. Cream puffs and chocolate eclairs are just the beginning. Purists might insist that, while eclairs are filled with pastry cream and topped with a chocolate glaze, cream puffs (choux chantilly) must be filled with whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. 

That's how it was when I was growing up. But I lost my taste for chocolate quite a long time ago, so I do a mashup: round and dusted with powdered sugar like a puff, pastry cream like an eclair. I've always made medium size puffs (18 puffs per recipe), but I really should make some tiny ones for my next afternoon tea party.

It's such a breeze making custards, sauces and risottos in the Le Creuset stainless steel sauciers, the 3.5-quart for larger amounts and their new 2-quart for smaller amounts. You can't really whisk in a regular straight-sided saucepan; you have to keep putting the whisk down and using a spoon to "get into the corners." 

Le Creuset stainless steel cookware is triple-ply from base to rim, so no hot spots. Each pan has a rim designed for drip-free pouring with either hand. And it's oven proof to 425F/220C/Gas7. This saucier is my new favorite pan. Since I got it, I haven't put it away! I've just left it on the stove because I'm using it for everything!

I'm so excited to be able to offer US readers the opportunity to win one! See below. And come back next week for the choux pastry, Pate a Choux, recipe and to see who won the pan! And, of course, I'd love it if you would share this post on your social media.

Update 04/14/16: The giveaway is now closed.

Vanilla Pastry Cream - Creme Patissiere

(Makes 4 cups)

2 1/2 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (I like 1/2)
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 In heavy saucepan (I use the Le Creuset Stainless Steel 2-Quart Saucier), heat 2 cups milk and cream to just below a simmer. You'll see a skin forming and the milk wiggling under the surface.

2 In 2-quart bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup cold milk. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Use an electric hand mixer if you like.

3 Pour the mixture back into the saucepan (or saucier) and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly (slowly at first, then speeding up as the custard thickens), until the custard gets very, very thick and holds the whisk marks. Pay close attention; if you get distracted for a second, you can end up with bits of scrambled egg in your custard.

4 Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla extract. If you have any lumps of egg, place a fine-mesh strainer over a 1.5-quart bowl, and press pastry cream through it to ensure a perfectly smooth custard. Cover surface of custard with a round of parchment paper cut to fit the bowl. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill.

5 Just before using, whisk the pastry cream a few times. And, if you'd like to "lighten" it up with whipped cream as I did with the cream puff pictured, just whip 1 cup of cream to soft peaks and fold it into the whisked pastry cream.

Le Creuset® Stainless Steel Saucier Giveaway 

This giveaway is open to US residents (Sorry, international friends!) 18 years of age or older. Leave a comment below (one entry per person, plus see below for ways to get up to two bonus entries). First comment should be about the first thing you'll make in your saucier. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday April 13. 

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday April 14. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Sunday April 17, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline). 

For up to two bonus entries (each in a separate comment):

1. follow Le Creuset on Twitter and leave comment below with your Twitter name. (Must include Twitter name!) 
2. follow Delightful Repast on Twitter and leave comment below with your Twitter name. (Must include Twitter name!) 

Disclosure: Le Creuset provided a saucier for review purposes and one for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!