Creamy vanilla – pastry cream
 

• Use a sharp knife to split the vanilla bean lengthwise and place it into a medium saucepan along with a pinch of sea salt flakes, 240 grams whole milk, and 240 grams heavy cream. Give it a quick whisk to combine everything, and heat the mixture over medium heat until it's almost boiling (around 80°C/176°F). Bubbles will begin to form at the edges. Remove from heat, cover with a plate, and let steep for 30 to 60 minutes if time permits. Otherwise, proceed as directed.
   
• After 30 to 60 minutes, reheat the cream and milk mixture over medium heat to almost boiling, around 80°C/176°F. Do this just before you start to whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
   
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 6 egg yolks, 100 grams of white sugar, and 35 grams of cornstarch until light and smooth. Use a piano wire whisk for this task while you heat the milk/cream mixture, but not too far in advance!
   
• As you continue whisking, slowly add one-third of the hot milk/cream mixture to the yolk mixture to temper the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in the remaining milk/cream mixture. Pour the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan, making sure to scrape all the flavorful gooey vanilla seeds from the bottom of the bowl into the saucepan.
   
• Cook the pastry cream over medium-low heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 5 minutes. When you see large bubbles plop to the surface, whisk for 2 more minutes to cook off the cornstarch; otherwise, the pastry cream might taste chalky. Once thickened, do not whisk the pastry cream vigorously; otherwise, the cornstarch can break down, causing the pastry cream to thin.
   
• Remove from the heat. Add 40 grams butter and whisk until the butter is evenly combined and the pastry cream is pale yellow with a smooth, glossy texture. Discard the vanilla bean or wash and reuse it for another time.
   
• Pour the warm vanilla pastry cream into a blender and blend on the lowest speed with a few pulses, for two 5-second intervals. Avoid processing it longer than two 5-second intervals; otherwise, the cornstarch may break down, causing the pastry cream to lose its firm structure too much, and it might not firm up again.
   
• Pour the creamy pastry cream onto a small baking sheet. Make sure to scrape every corner of your blender with a silicone spatula to get all of that amazing creamy vanilla pastry cream out. You don't want to waste anything—it's too good! Immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap directly touches the cream to prevent a skin from forming on top. Refrigerate your pastry cream immediately. It’s important to cool it down quickly to prevent the growth of bacteria.
   
• Let cool in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before using, Fluff it up with a whisk or rubber spatula when you’re ready to use it.
   
• Use immediately or refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container  for up to 3 days.