How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (2024)

This easy Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere) recipe is simple and delicious. A rich and creamy vanilla custard you can use in a variety of decadent desserts.

How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (1)

Pastry cream is one of those recipes that you’ll want to have in your repertoire. It’s super easy to make and very versatile.

Today, I’m going to walk you through the process using the recipe I learned in Pastry School. I’ve been using it ever since as a filling for various desserts like this Banana Pudding Cake….

How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (2)
How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (3)

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What is Pastry Cream?

Pastry cream, also known as creme patissiere, is a thickened vanilla custard made with eggs, milk, sugar, cornstarch (or flour), and vanilla.

It is used to fill desserts like cream puffs, eclairs, donuts, tarts, and cakes. It is also often used as a cake filling, specifically for the Boston Cream Pie.

You can eat it straight up, like a pudding, but one of my favorite ways to use it is in a Diplomat Cream. It’s a lightened-up version where equal parts of pastry cream and whipped cream are folded together.

How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (5)

How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)

I’m going to walk you through step-by-step on how to make creme patissiere yourself at home. It only takes a few simple ingredients, about 20 minutes, and some patience while it cools and sets.

I use egg yolks in my recipe (vs whole eggs) and today I used vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste which is what I usually use. You can also use a whole vanilla bean pod sliced in half which will get strained out at the end.

Let’s get to it!

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Step #1 – Simmer the Milk & Vanilla

Place 1 1/2 cups milk and the vanilla (or vanilla bean paste) into a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly until it just starts to simmer. Remove from heat.

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Step #2 – Whisk Remaining Ingredients

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

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Step #3 – Temper the Egg Mixture

While whisking the egg mixture vigorously, slowly pour in the hot milk – in a thin, steady stream. Whisk constantly and quickly until all of the milk is incorporated. Pour slowly, whisk quickly.

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Liv for Cake Tip!

Tempering is a process where you slowly introduce a hot liquid into something cold. In this case, the eggs. Slowly adding the hot milk while whisking quickly will prevent the eggs from cooking. If you were to pour it all in at once you’d end up with a scrambled mess.

Step #4 – Return to Heat & Boil

Return the mixture to the pot and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil.

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How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (12)

Step #5 – Strain & Cover

Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any cooked bits of egg and to ensure it is completely smooth. This is also where you’d strain out the vanilla pod if you used one.

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Place plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.

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Step #6 – Chill

Cool to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to set. The pastry cream will have thickened and look curdled with you try to stir it.

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Rewhip by hand for a perfectly smooth and silky custard.

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How to Store Pastry Cream

Pastry cream is perishable and needs to be refrigerated. It does not keep for a long time. You can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Unfortunately, creme patissiere does not freeze well. The starch will break down during freezing/thawing and the custard will separate.

If you absolutely must freeze it, you can try restoring it to its former glory by using this method. I haven’t tried it myself, but I would give it a go!

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Flavor Variations

One of my favorite versions of this custard is the coconut one I did for this Raffaello Cake by using canned (liquid) coconut milk instead of regular milk.

You’ll be eating that straight up with a spoon for SURE.

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You can experiment with other milk alternatives as well, though I suspect they won’t have as much of a flavor impact as the coconut.

You can also infuse the milk with various flavors during step #1. Do this by adding tea bags or leaves to the milk, or herbs like lavender and thyme to the milk.

You can strain them out before tempering the hot milk into the eggs, or at the very end when you’re straining the custard.

I would recommend straining them out after step #1 though for ease as the custard will be thick and you’ll need to press it through the strainer.

Instant coffee or espresso powder would be a delicious addition too, or cocoa powder for a chocolate version!

You can also add liqueur to it — whisk it in right at the end (or before the final boil if you want to burn some of the alcohol off).

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If you’ve never tried making your own pastry cream, I hope you give it a go. It’s a simple and delicious way to elevate your desserts to another level.

The flavor variations and uses are seemingly endless. Be sure to let me know in the comments if you try it!

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Tips for making Pastry Cream

  • Don’t boil your milk, just bring it barely to a simmer.
  • Ensure the cornstarch is completely dissolved and incorporated into the egg mixture.
  • Whisk quickly and pour slowly when tempering the egg mixture with the hot milk to prevent cooking the eggs.
  • Be sure to bring the mixture back to a boil, while whisking the whole time.
  • Strain the pastry cream to ensure it is completely smooth.
  • Once chilled, it will be somewhat gelatinous – rewhip by hand until smooth and creamy.
  • Refrigerate for up to one week. Do not freeze.
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Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)

5 from 8 votes

This easy Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere) recipe is simple and delicious. A rich and creamy vanilla custard you can use in a variety of decadent desserts.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 16 (makes 2 cups)

Calories 50kcal

Author Olivia

Ingredients

Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere):

Instructions

Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere):

  • Place 1 1/2 cups milk and the vanilla into a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, stirring often until it just starts to simmer. Remove from heat.

  • In a medium bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.

  • While whisking vigorously, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.

  • Return mixture to saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil.

  • Pass through a strainer and into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on top of custard to prevent a skin from forming.

  • Cool to room temperature then place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to set. Whip before use.

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Do not freeze.

Calories: 50kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 14mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 80IUCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg

The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favorite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

This post was originally published Feb 7th, 2020 and has been updated with new content on Jan 27th, 2023.

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How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between custard and crème pâtissière? ›

Vanilla pastry cream is the smooth, silky, vanilla-scented custard that oozes out of so many classic desserts. Also called crème pâtissière and creme pat, this rich filling is essentially vanilla custard thickened with cornstarch to make it firm.

Does crème pâtissière need to be refrigerated? ›

Once you have transferred the cooked creme patissiere to a bowl, press a damp piece of greaseproof paper, baking parchment or parchment paper on to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let the creme patissiere cool slightly then wrap the bowl tightly with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and transfer to the fridge.

How do you know when the pastry cream is thickened enough? ›

The goal is to properly thicken the custard to achieve a consistency that is stiff, thick, and smooth, while remaining easy to pipe or spread. If the resulting pastry cream is too runny and loose, or overcooked and gritty, then we either fell short or overshot this essential step in the process.

Can I use heavy cream instead of milk for pastry cream? ›

“Heavy cream”, “whipping cream”, or even “double cream” will work here. This lends a rich creaminess to the finished product. If you're in a pinch, you can substitute both the milk and cream for half and half. Egg yolks.

What if crème pâtissière is not thick enough? ›

If your crème pâtissière isn't thick enough, the best solution is to let it cook for longer. Cornstarch should only be added when the crème pâtissière is boiling, while flour is not recommended at all.

What is the difference between crème pâtissière and chantilly? ›

Creme Patissiere is pastry cream, a rich custard thickened with cornstarch or flour. Creme Diplomate is pastry cream mixed with whipped cream and sometimes added gelatine for stability (depending on the usage). Creme Chantilly is a French name for sweetened whipped cream with the addition of vanilla flavoring.

Can you whip custard to make it thicker? ›

Stir as recommended by your original recipe, but if your custard is still runny, try more vigorous stirring. Make sure to use the appropriate tool, such as an immersion blender or a hand whisk.

What will happen if the creme patissiere is not boiled properly? ›

According to McGee, cream fillings that are stiffened with a starch (ie flour) must be boiled to remove the enzyme amylase from the mix- amylase is present in egg yolks. If the mixture is not boiled then the amylase will digest the starch and over time the cream will turn from thick to thin.

Why add butter to pastry cream? ›

Egg Yolks: Gives flavor, a rich color, and a creamy finish. Whole Milk: Adds flavor while also preventing the eggs from scrambling in the cooking process. Butter: I use unsalted butter to give a smooth consistency to the pastry cream.

Why won't my pastry cream thicken? ›

If your pastry cream hasn't thickened properly, that can be down to two possible reasons: What is this? You haven't cooked it enough – cook it longer. Remember, you need to cook the pastry cream until it's thickened and it comes to a boil, and then cook it for about one minute longer.

Why won't my crème pat set? ›

If you added extra cornstarch and it's still not thick enough, you absolutely need to allow the pastry cream to bubble (boil) and cook for a minute while whisking to activate the cornstarch thickening properties.

Can I freeze crème pâtissière? ›

Always cover your pastry cream with plastic wrap, letting the plastic wrap touch the top of the pastry cream to avoid the creation of any film on top. Store in a fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the pastry cream for up to three weeks, but only if you are using flour in this recipe.

Can you reheat crème pâtissière? ›

Pastry cream will keep for several days once refrigerated. You can reheat it in the microwave, whisk hard and it becomes spreadable again.

What happens if I use milk instead of heavy cream? ›

You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe. This substitute is especially useful in cooking, but it may alter the texture of baked goods and will not whip as well as heavy cream.

How is crème brûlée different from custard? ›

The main difference between the two is that creme brulee is topped with a layer of sugar that caramelizes under a broiler or torch, resulting in a crunchy, burnt sugar topping. Egg custard does not have this additional layer of sugar, but some recipes call for a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon.

What are the 3 types of custard? ›

3 Varieties of Custard

There are three main varieties of custard: baked custard, stirred custard, and steamed custard. The first two are both popular in Western cuisine. Baked custard is typically firmer and made with whole eggs, while stirred custards can be much runnier and often only contain the yolks.

Why do the French call custard creme anglaise? ›

*Ironically, the term “crème anglaise” translates as “English cream,” not because the French believed that the custard was an English invention but because they perceived it as characteristic of the English.

Is crème anglaise and custard the same thing? ›

Crème anglaise (French: [kʁɛm ɑ̃glɛz]; French for 'English cream'), custard sauce, pouring custard, or simply custard is a light, sweetened pouring custard used as a dessert cream or sauce. It is a mix of sugar, egg yolks, and hot milk usually flavoured with vanilla.

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