In 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups milk to boiling over high heat. Meanwhile, in large bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg yolks, sugar, and remaining 1/4 cup milk until smooth; whisk in cornstarch and flour until combined. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg-yolk mixture.
Return mixture to saucepan, cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes, whisking.
Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla and salt. Pour pastry cream into pie plate or shallow dish. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pastry cream to keep skin from forming as it cools. Refrigerate 2 hours or until cold, or overnight.
When ready to use, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream just until stiff peaks form. With wire whisk, beat pastry cream to loosen. Whisk half of whipped cream into pastry cream, then with rubber spatula, fold in remaining whipped cream.
Nutrition Information is based on a 1/4-cup serving of vanilla cream.
Chocolate Pastry Cream Filling: Prepare Vanilla Pastry Cream as above except melt 3 ounces semisweet chocolate and 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, and add in step 3 along with vanilla to pastry cream, stirring until well combined. Makes about 4 cups.
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Nutrition Information Each 1/4 cup chocolate cream: About 155 calories, 3 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 9 g total fat (5 g saturated), 1 g fiber, 72 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium.
Lime Pastry Cream Filling: Prepare Vanilla Pastry Cream as above except in step 1, increase cornstarch to 1/3 cup. In step 3, from 2 to 3 limes, grate 1 1/2 teaspoons peel and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. Omit vanilla and stir lime peel and juice into pastry cream. Makes about 4 cups.
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Nutrition Information Each 1/4 cup lime cream: About 120 calories, 2 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat (3 g saturated), 0 g fiber, 72 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium.
