Vanilla Custard

Vanilla Custard
2 large egg yolks
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 cup milk (not fat-free)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a tiny bit of the milk. Gradually beat in the cornstarch, then sugar. Beat until thickened. 
Meanwhile, heat remaining milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, just until bubbles begin to form around the edges, do not allow to boil. Add two spoonfuls of milk to the egg mixture, and whisk to temper. Then slowly stream in egg to the milk, whisking continuously. Continue cooking just until thickened, do not overcook. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then refrigerate until cool.

My first custard ended up overcooked and didn't turn out very well. It still tasted delicious, but the texture was awful. That isn't to say I didn't still eat it, as I hate to waste anything. It was my very first time ever making custard. So I tweaked my recipe, and came up with this one, which ended up smooth and creamy, almost like vanilla pudding. This is the filling I used for my pavlova. 

The trick to this custard - I used homemade vanilla extract. The real vanilla flavor came from real vanilla bean made into vanilla extract. It is a gift I received for Christmas, and it really does lend a great vanilla flavor to this dessert. Real vanilla is a must here, so do not use artificial!