-
1
In a sall saucepan, combine milk, orange zest, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Scrape in vanilla seeds, and add the pod. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and coner. Set aside 10 minutes; discard orange zest and vanilla pod.
-
2
Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with cornstarch. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolks; add the sugar mixture and continue whisking until pale yellow.
-
3
Return milk mixture to heat. Bring to a boil, scraping vanilla seeds from side of pan.
-
4
Slowly ladle half of boiling milk mixture into egg mixture, ewhisking constantly. Transfer this new mixture back to saucepan.
-
5
Set saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides and edges of pan. Once mixture comes to a full boil, whisk vigorously until very thick, about 1 1/2 minutes.
-
6
Remove pan from heat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape pastry cream into a medium bowl; set over ice-water bath. Whisk butter, piece by piece, into pastry cream while still warm. Let cool completey. Lay plastic wrap on surface of pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Store in refrigerator up to 1 day.
