A complete guide to a luxuriously smooth custard filling for wide variety of pastries, cakes and tarts.
What is pastry cream?
Pastry cream (or crème pâtissière in French) is a classic custard filling for eclairs, fruit tarts and pastries.
Silky smooth and rich, this custard is incredibly versatile and used in many different pastries and desserts.
Is pastry cream the same as custard?
Yes, pastry cream IS one form of a custard.
What’s the difference between custard and pudding?
While terms “custard” and “pudding” may be used interchangeably, the main difference is that custard is typically an egg-based filling, while pudding doesn’t contain eggs.
Ingredient Notes:
- Milk – You can use any kind of milk. Whole milk, 2%, or even non-dairy milk, like almond milk.
- All-purpose flour – It’s used as part of thickening agent. For gluten-free version, you may omit the flour and increase cornstarch by 1 tablespoon.
- Cornstarch – It’s a thickening agent. And I like to use it in combination with flour as an extra insurance.
- Vanilla – You can use vanilla bean, vanilla paste, or just pure vanilla extract.
Why do you use flour AND cornstarch together?
Cornstarch is activated when it’s cooked at 203°F (95°C) and may lose its thickening power when stirred too much.
So, in case cornstarch fails to thicken, flour is there as a backup.
How to make this recipe:
Making a classic pastry cream is quite easy. But it requires your undivided attention for about 10 minutes!
1. Heat the milk:
In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla extract to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat off.
If using, vanilla bean, cut it lengthwise and scrape off the beans inside. And put the beans and the shell into the milk.
2. Prepare egg yolks:
In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until smooth, thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
And then stir in flour and cornstarch.
3. Temper egg yolk mixture:
Take about ½ cup of hot milk and add it into the egg yolk mixture, while stirring vigorously. (Tempering helps to prevent scrambled eggs in your custard and makes it nice and smooth.)
Tip
When tempering the yolks, place a wet towel under the bowl, so that it doesn’t move around when you pour hot milk and whisk at the same time.
4. Cook custard:
Now add the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepane with remaining milk.
Cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens, 5-7 minutes.
Tip
It’s normal if the custard looks curdled in the beginning. This happens when the cornstarch starts to activate and thickens the mixture, and it’ll smooth out as you continue to whisk.
5. Chill custard:
Run the custard through a sieve, if desired, and transfer into a clean bowl and cover with a plastic wrap, so it touches the cream and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
Tip
To ensure extra smooth texture, place a sieve over the bowl and run the custard through it.
How to properly cover custard:
Make sure to place a plastic wrap in contact with the entire surface of the custard to prevent any skin forming.
Pastry cream is too thick?
Don’t be alarmed if your chilled pastry cream looks too thick. Simply whisk it until smooth again.
Creme Diplomat
If you take it one step further and fold in whipped cream into the cooled custard, you’ll get creme diplomat – incredibly light and fluffy filling.
It’s my personal favorite!
I especially love filling my chocolate eclairs with it.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Pastry cream can be made ahead up to 3 days in advance.
Store pastry cream in the fridge with a plastic wrap touching the entire surface of the custard to prevent unpleasant skin forming.
Creme patisserie uses:
As mentioned earlier, vanilla pastry cream is quite versatile and used in many different desserts.
Here’re my top favorite ways to use classic creme patisserie:
- Filling classic eclairs
- Making homemade banana cream pie
- Filling fruit tarts
- Filling donuts
- Or simply eating it by spoonful with fresh fruits (the BEST!)
Video tutorial
How to Make a Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500g) milk Note 1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Note 2
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Note 3
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla extract to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat off.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until smooth, thick and pale yellow. Then stir in flour and cornstarch.
- To temper the egg yolk mixture, take about ½ cup of hot milk and add it into the egg yolk mixture, while stirring vigorously. (TIP: Place a damp towel under the bowl with egg yolk mixture to prevent it from sliding all over while you pour hot milk and whisking simultanuously.)
- Now, add the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with remaining milk. Cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. (Note: It's normal if the mixture looks curdled in the beginning, be patient and it'll smooth out.) To see if the mixture is boiling, stop whisking for a moment. If it's burping bubbles, cook for 1 minute and remove from heat.
- Run the custard through a sieve, if desired, and transfer into a clean bowl and cover with a plastic wrap, so it touches the cream and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. (TIP: Don’t be alarmed if your chilled pastry cream looks too thick and lumpy. Simply whisk it until smooth again.)
- Optional step: whip heavy whipping cream till hard peaks form. Fold in the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream and gently fold until well combined. This's called creme diplomat.
Tips & Notes:
Refrigerate pastry cream in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make sure to cover it with a plastic wrap touching the entire surface of the custard to prevent unpleasant skin forming.
Nutrition Facts:
This post was originally published on May 25th, 2013.
Rakhi says
Any substitute for eggs
Shinee says
No, unfortunately, you can’t make choux pastry without eggs.
Linda says
this looks awesome!! Thanks so much. Can you use frozen egg yolks?
Shinee says
Hi, Linda. I don’t see why you couldn’t. It should be the same, right? But I’ve never tested this recipe with a frozen yolk.
cynthia Butler says
SWEET.
Sherrill says
Never have I ever seen such a fabulous, clear and informative recipe for this p-cream. Thank you! I’ve printed it.
Shinee says
So happy you found it helpful, Sherrill. Let me know if you give it a try.
Al says
davharluu,Zuragaa Saihan bayarlasaan hiichihsen kkkk bolhoor zuulruulj ugj bgaa yum.
Ene creamiig hiihed bolson gej naidaj bn. Saihan bayarlasaan eej egch .
Shinee says
Setgegdel uldeesend bayarlalaa, Al. Bi gehdee sain oilgosonguiee. 🙁
Bolor says
Saihan bayarlasaan eej egch huuhduud aav nuhur geed bugdeeree amtarhan idsen shu ih goe bolson gehdee dood listtei eclairee solij tavihad 2uulaa goe huusun bsnaa dood davharluu shiljuulsen ni huuhuu bolichihson. Yagaad tegsen yum boloo? Zurgiig oruulah gesen bolomjgui yum bnaa 🙁 blog bolhor esvel bi medehgui bnuu dahin bayarlalaa :)))
Bolor says
Bayariin mend hurgie! Yag odoo hiij bn ih gie huuj bn 🙂 harin ter kremiig heavy kremgui hiigeed hurgugchinduu hiichihsen kkkk bolhoor ni zurgiin uzuulnee. Carrot cake.g 3 udaa hiisen ih goe amttai boldog shu.
Shinee says
Za bayarlalaa! Saihan bayarlaj bn uu? Za ekler goe bolson gej naidaj bn. Zuragaa huvaaltsaarai. Carrot Cake ch bas goe shuu.
Bolor says
Sain bnuu? Joroor chin zunduu goe hool amttan hiideg yumaa. Bayarlalaa 🙂 neg asuuh zuil bnaa. Ene creamiig hiihed heavy cream bdagguiee yugaar orluulj boloh ve?
Shinee says
Sain, sain bn uu? Joruud maani taalagdaj bgaad bayartai bnaa. 🙂 Neeree ene kremend zaaval heavy cream hiih shaardlagagui shuu. Heavy cream hiij amtiig ni jaahan zuulruulj ugj bgaa yum. Orluulah yum gevel za barag bhgui dee, 30%aas deesh toslogtoi yamar ch shingene tsutsgii bolno.