Easy Pastry Cream Recipe (Crème Pâtissière)
Delicious and rich homemade pastry cream with a silky texture and vanilla flavor. Also called crème pâtissière, this is a simple recipe that makes a decadent filling for pastries!
While pastry cream can seem intimidating given it’s used in many French patisserie desserts, this recipe uses a fairly simple tempering technique.
What Is Pastry Cream?
Pastry cream is a custard with a smooth texture and rich flavor. You may have heard it by it’s French name, crème pâtissière. It’s said that the recipe originated in France and is a large component in French baking.
This delicious cream filling is made by heating a combination of eggs, sugar, milk, cornstarch and vanilla over the stove.
You’ll find it in chocolate éclairs, fruit tarts, cream puffs, Napoléons, donuts, and more! Yum!
Tips For Making Pastry Cream
The recipe itself is pretty simple and you probably have most of the ingredients already in the pantry. Here’s a few tips that will help make sure it turns out delicious.
- Do not turn the heat higher than medium to speed up the process. This can turn the eggs into scrambled eggs!
- Tempering the egg and milk mixture is the hardest part. Just keep whisking! But seriously, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture and whisk as you pour to avoid scrambled eggs.
- Strain the mixture while it’s hot for a silky texture.
- Chill for 2 or more hours before using.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Whole Milk — Will create a richer, creamer flavor. The high fat content will also help create a thick texture. Using a low fat milk will create a runnier pastry cream. You can substitute heavy whipping cream or a dairy-free milk like almond or soy.
Egg yolks — Yolks add a rich flavor and binds liquids and fats together.
Granulated sugar — This adds some sweetness! Without sugar, the pastry cream has a flat flavor.
Cornstarch — Just the right amount of thickener that won’t change the pastry creams flavor or texture.
Vanilla extract — For flavor that can be substituted with vanilla bean paste or a vanilla pod.
Unsalted butter — Adds that rich buttery taste and gives the cream a shine.
Ways To Use Crème Pâtissière
Pastry cream can be versatile!
Use it in:
- Cake filling
- Cupcake filling
- Chocolate éclairs
- Fruit tarts
- Cream puffs
- Donuts
- Custard desserts
You can also make crème légère which is made by mixing whipping cream and pastry cream together to create a delicious and light textured filling.
How To Make Pastry Cream
In a large heatproof mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring whole milk to a simmer. Continuously whisk the milk to avoid burning.
Carefully pour in 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Keep whisking until the mixture looks smooth.
Slowly pour in the rest of the milk mixture while whisking. Carefully pour the mixture back into the saucepan through a mesh sieve. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Once it starts simmering, about 6-8 minutes, turn the heat to medium-low and keep whisking. You’ll notice that it’ll become harder to whisk as the mixture thickens.
After about 3 minutes, remove from heat. I placed the saucepan on a pot holder as shown above. Cut the butter into 3 tbsp and place it over the hot pastry cream. Let the butter melt. Once it’s melted, add vanilla extract or paste and stir everything together.
Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic onto the surface to avoid a skin from forming.
Once the pastry cream has cooled, keep covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
FAQ’s
Can It Be Made In Advance?
Yes! It tastes best to make it one day in advance, but you can keep it covered in the refrigerator for 3 days. Give it a stir before using.
Can It Be Frozen?
I don’t recommend freezing pastry cream because as it thaws it can separate.
How Long Is It Good For?
3 days covered in a refrigerator.
What Are The Difference Between Custard/Pastry Cream/Pudding?
Custard — Uses eggs as a thickening agent. Can be milk, cheese, or cream based.
Pastry cream — A type of custard that uses eggs and cornstarch to thicken it.
Bavarian cream — A type of custard that is mixed with gelatin to thicken.
Vanilla pudding — Does not use eggs. Uses cornstarch or flour as a thickener. It’s a milk based mixture thats sweetened.
Check out these other baking ideas!
RECIPE CARD
Easy Pastry Cream Recipe (Crème Pâtissière)
Equipment
- mesh sieve or strainer
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (30g)
- 2 cups whole milk (16 oz or 480mL)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla pod)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (42g)
Instructions
- In a large heatproof mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring whole milk to a simmer. Continuously whisk the milk to avoid burning.
- Carefully pour 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Keep whisking until the mixture looks smooth.
- Slowly pour the mixture back into the saucepan through a mesh sieve. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Once it starts simmering, about 6-8 minutes, turn the heat to medium-low and keep whisking. You'll notice that it'll become harder to whisk as the mixture thickens.
- After about 3 minutes, remove from heat. Cut the butter into 3 tbsp and place it over the hot pastry cream. Let the butter melt. Once it's melted, add vanilla and stir everything together.
- Transfer to a bowl and cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic onto the surface to avoid a skin from forming.
- Once the pastry cream has cooled, keep covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Vanilla: If you substitute vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract, follow the recipe above. If you substitute a vanilla pod, split the pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a knife. Add the vanilla bean at the start of step #2 with the whole milk.
- Milk: The best milk to use is whole milk. Low fat milk can make the mixture runnier. To make this dairy-free, use almond or soy milk and skip adding the butter.
- Temper: Tempering eggs is when you add a small about of hot milk to the egg mixture to heat them slowly so they don’t create scrambled eggs! To get perfect pastry cream, add the hot milk slowly and vigorously whisk the mixture.
- Smooth Pastry Cream: Pour the hot cream mixture through a mesh sieve in step #4. It’s much easier to get rids of lumps while it’s hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, and should be used as an approximation.
