Pastry cream is ubiquitous-- you can find it inside a boston cream donut, or in a bavarian pie; in a fancy Napolean/mille-feuille, and in a basic fruit tart. It might seem a little daunting, but is a really simple, easy recipe to master. I guess it's more of a "technique" than a recipe, which automatically relieves you of the stress of getting it perfect. :)
Start with eggs. 2 or 3 whole eggs, or 3 or 4 yolks only. See what I mean about it not being a hard and fast recipe? I like to stick with the yolks, and usually use 4. Put them in a sauce pan on low-medium low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 of cornstarch, but if you only have one of them, just add 4 tablespoons of whatever you've got. Add 2/3 cup sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Stir in 2 cups of milk, cream, half-and-half-- whatever you have on hand. Once the pastry cream starts to get thicker and more pudding-like, take it off the heat and add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Toss in 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until everything is combined evenly, and let cool completely.
Now you can pour it into a pie crust, or put it in a pastry bag to fill donuts, or pipe between layers of cake. It goes amazingly well with berries, phyllo pastry, or chocolate. Wait, why "or"?? This pastry cream is excellent in a chocolate cookie pie crust, topped with raspberries.
Honestly, I'd even eat it plain with a spoon. ;)
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