3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Scald milk: heat just until tiny bubbles appear around edges of pan (about 190°F). Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks slightly. Combine the dry ingredients and mix with the eggs. Stir in enough milk to make a thin paste, and add to the remaining milk in the top of a double boiler.

Cook for 5 minutes, while constantly stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps.

Reduce heat slightly and cook for another 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened, stirring continuously.

Remove top pan from the double boiler and set pan on a heat proof pad to cool. Stir in butter. Cool for 5 minutes and stir in vanilla.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups. Make be used as a filling for cream pies, cakes and cream puffs, etc.

Cooks Note: For best flavor, use only pure vanilla extract of good quality. Do not use old vanilla for this recipe; save it for baking brownies.