In a heatproof large bowl, break all the eggs and whisk them slightly. Add the sugar and whisk it together until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Sift the custard powder into the mixture and whisk it until combined.

Heat the milk till it almost boils. Remove from heat and remove the vanilla pods. (You can dry the vanilla pods and add it your sugar canister to give it a vanilla flavour too)

Temper the egg mixture by putting just a little hot milk in. This makes sure the eggs get used to the temperature and don’t get scrambled with sudden heat. Add just a little bit at a time and keep whisking the whole time.

Once all the milk has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into your saucepan and start cooking it over medium-high heat. Once it reaches boiling point, keep cooking it for another minute or so to ensure the custard powder is perfectly cooked. Keep whisking so that it doesn’t stick to the base of the saucepan. It’ll start to thicken and reach the custard-like consistency.

Once cooked, remove from the heat. To ensure a smooth pastry cream, pass it through a sieve into a clean bowl while it’s still hot. It will also catch any pieces of cooked eggs if present.

Our crème pâtissière is now ready. Cover it with cling film directly covering its surface to avoid forming a skin. Let it cool slightly over the counter before placing it in the fridge to cool down completely. If you are not using it right away, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.