Ingredients

Makes 3 cups

　　2 cups whole milk

　　Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

　　1 large egg plus 2 large egg yolks

　　1 cup sugar

　　1 cup all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Stir together the milk and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, just until small bubbles appear at the edges. Remove the pan from the heat.

　　

Step 2

Put the egg and yolks and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Beat in the hot milk mixture. Raise the speed to high; beat 1 minute more. Transfer the pastry cream to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the warm pastry cream to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, or up to 1 day.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.