Pastry Cream Recipe Cr Me P Tissi Re

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy. We love homemade desserts, from Chocolate Soufflé to Easy Bread Pudding. If you love making your own desserts from scratch too, this Pastry Cream is a must-make.

Pastry Cream Recipe

Pastry Cream is a French dessert that is also called Crème Pâtissière. It sounds fancy, but it’s truly easy to make it from scratch. It’s like a pudding but thicker, creamier, with a more pronounced vanilla flavor, and perfect for adding to many desserts, from Boston Cream Pie to Chocolate Eclairs. If you’ve ever admired a Fruit Tart at your favorite bakery, with layers of glistening, artfully arranged fruit set over a layer of creamy vanilla filling, then you’re very familiar with the importance of good pastry cream. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:

No fancy equipment needed – A saucepan and a whisk are all you’ll need. Sets properly – This pastry cream is silky, smooth, and sets beautifully. Most people take it off the stove too early or keep it on too long which can result in grainy pasty cream. Bakery-style at home – Yes, there are hacks that use instant pudding mix to make a pastry cream substitute, but this from-scratch version is so much better. You’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away to a Parisian bakery once you give it a taste.

Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card below for print-friendly ingredients and instructions.

Egg and yolks– At its core, pastry cream is custard and custard starts with eggs. Granulated sugar – AKA white sugar. Cornstarch – This is what thickens the cream. Fine sea salt – balances the sweetness Whole milk – creates a creamer consistency than skim milk Heavy whipping cream – Creates a rich, luxurious texture Unsalted butter – If using salted butter, reduce the salt. Vanilla extract – this is the traditional flavor for pastry cream, but you can substitute with almond extract.

How to Make Pastry Cream

As I mentioned above, this pastry cream recipe isn’t hard, but it does require you to follow along closely to get the technique right. Here’s what you’ll need to do. Pro Tip: Use a slimmer whisk to reach the inner corners of the pan and prevent overcooked bits of custard.

Common Questions

How to Use Pastry Cream

In addition to using pastry cream in a Fruit Tart, you can get creative and add it to all kinds of different desserts and pastries:

Use it as a filling for Baked Donuts instead of jelly. Swap out the cheesecake filling for pastry cream in my Berry Puff Pastry Tart. Add a layer at the base of these Easy Peach Tartlets. Fill Eclairs or Cream Puffs with this Pastry Cream

Like Pie Crust and Vanilla Buttercream, every baker needs a go-to pastry cream recipe and this one is ours. It’s creamy, rich, and silky smooth, and you don’t need to be a pastry chef to pull it off.

Make-Ahead

To Refrigerate: Once at room temperature, pastry cream should be refrigerated for at least 2 hours to set and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. this pastry cream should be refrigerated for at can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Freezing: Because this recipe is made with cornstarch, it should not be frozen. To Use: Use pastry cream in your favorite recipes as directed.