Vanilla Custard

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the milk, vanilla, and salt. 
2. Stir often with a whisk or a rubber spatula until the milk mixture begins to steam (but not boil). 
3. White the milk mixture heats up, mix together the egg yolk, sugar, and corn starch, in a bowl. 
4. When the milk mixture is steaming, remove it from the heat. 
5. While mixing constantly, slowly pour a couple of Tbsp of the heated milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture.  
6. After that, pour the egg yolk mixture into the heated milk mixture. Be sure to mix constantly as you add these two mixtures together. 
7. Place the saucepan back onto the heat and continue to mix it until the mixture becomes a custard; be sure to scrape the sides well as you mix. (As the mixture becomes hotter, it also gets thicker. When the mixture doesn't seem to get any thicker, that is when it is considered a custard.)
8. Cover the saucepan with plastic, pushing the plastic all the way down to the custard and do your best to make sure there are not very many air bubbles. See note #2 for an explination. 
9. Place the covered custard in the fridge until it is fully cooled down (approx. 3 hours but ideally 24 hours). 

Notes: 

- The custard used in this recipe is the smallest portion that can be made in a saucepan. There are many ways to use this custard; you can simply eat it or you can use it in other recipes as you wish. Some examples of ways to use it as a filling are for various danish pastries, danish layered cake, coux pastry, and many more. Many of which you can find on this same website! 
- When custard is hot, it releases moisture in the form of steam. When you cover the custard with plastic wrap so that it is touching the entire custard surface, it inhibits the custards ability to release any steam and the custard keeps all of its moisture content.  

- This custard has a shelf life of 3-4 days when packaged in an airtight container and placed in the fridge.