Annie's Cooking Club

Makes 2 ½ cups

Time: 15 minutes + chilling

2 cups whole milk

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ salt

2 eggs

2 T. butter

½ t. vanilla extract

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium until it begins to steam and bubbles form around the edge.  Remove milk from burner.

Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.  Add the eggs and whisk until smooth, then gradually whisk in ½ of the hot milk.

Pour the egg-milk mixture into the remaining milk in the pan, and return pan to burner.  Cook custard over medium heat, whisking often, until thick.  Boil 1 minute whisking constantly, to eliminate the starchy taste of the flour and to thicken further. 

Off heat, stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.  Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic, pressing it onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Chill before using.