Here is the classic recipe for pastry cream:

Ingredients:

- 500 ml milk

- 4 egg yolks

- 100 g sugar

- 40 g flour

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla sugar

- A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Add the flour and a pinch of salt, continue beating until the mixture is smooth.

3. In a saucepan, heat the milk until steam appears, but do not let it boil.

4. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly.

5. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes.

6. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, and stir.

7. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on top, and cool to room temperature.

Classic pastry cream is excellent for filling cakes, pastries, éclairs, cream puffs, and other baked goods.