Pastry cream is comfort food. I love the sweet, steamy smell of the thickening sugar, milk, and yolks while you whisk!
Pastry Cream (Yields 1 1/2 cups of Pastry cream. This recipe may be doubled.)

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of the milk. Whisk the egg and egg yolks into the cornstarch mixture.

Pour the rest of the milk with the sugar in a pan and set on medium high to boil. To temper the yolks, when the milk and sugar come to a boil, pour 1/4 of the pan milk into the yolk mixture and whisk.

Place the pan back on heat to boil. When the milk mixture reaches a boil, pour the yolk mixture into the pan, and whisk until it becomes thick, creamy, and smooth. Take the pan off of the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a stainless steel bowl or pan and press plastic wrap directly on the cream to cover. Immediately chill the mixture. When the mixture is cool, transfer it to a piping bag.