An epicurean adventure to: France
Crème Pâtissière, at its heart, is a highly versatile creamy 'custard' created from a simple blend of milk, egg yolks, sugar and starches. This culinary diamond is a must-have in your repertoire!
It offers a multitude of uses and the best part is, it's a breeze to make, taking less than 10 minutes.
It's the perfect filling for cream puffs (choux buns), layered in éclairs or as the foundation for mille-feuille, an elegant puff pastry dessert.
Crème Pâtissière also shines as the star in fruit tarts, classic cakes like the Boston cream pie and even decadent doughnuts.
This custard also forms the base for other fantastic types of creams like crème légère, crème diplomat, crème chiboust and crème mousseline.
And excitingly, it plays a pivotal role in our Festive Sherry Trifle recipe, adding a touch of luxury to every spoonful.
Don't worry, making proper pastry cream is easier than you might think. With our step-by-step guidance and accurate measurements, bakers of all levels can confidently create this versatile custard for their homemade goodies.
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Fast facts - France
| Location | France is located in Western Europe and is bordered by several countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Andorra. It also has coastlines along the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the English Channel. |
| Capital | Paris. |
| Language | The official language of France is French |
| Population | Circa 67 million people. |
| Trivia | Time to impress your eco-conscious friends with this fascinating tidbit about France! It's quite fitting that a nation with such a passion for food would lead the way by making it illegal to discard perfectly good edibles. Since 2016, unsold but still edible food must be donated rather than trashed, or you might find yourself facing legal consequences. |
What's to love about this recipe
- Crème Pâtissière is incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of desserts, from cream puffs to tarts and trifles.
- Making this pastry cream recipe is a breeze, taking less than 10 minutes.
- It's creamy, rich and incredibly flavorful. Can be used in place of crème anglaise (English custard) in many instances.
- You can adjust the flavour by adding a hint of your favourite extracts, making it suit various desserts.
- Made with seven everyday, simple ingredients.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
Full-cream milk
We suggest using whole milk (full cream milk) for the best results. It provides a rich, full-bodied flavour and an exceptionally smooth and creamy texture.
Skimmed milk lacks the depth of flavour and body needed for this pastry cream. Also avoid the temptation to use heavy cream, as it may cause the mixture to separate.
Starches
Starch is the secret to thickening Crème Pâtissière. In our recipe, we use a combination of plain flour and cornstarch (cornflour) for that perfect consistency.
Caster sugar
Sugar in pastry cream isn't just for sweetness. It also helps keep the eggs from cooking too quickly, reducing the risk of curdling.
Caster sugar can be replaced with granulated sugar.
Egg yolks
Egg yolks bring both flavour and structure to the pastry cream.
In this recipe, we specifically use egg yolks, not whole eggs or just the whites. Yolks, thanks to their higher fat content, add a richer flavour, a deeper colour and create a soft, creamy texture.
You can use the leftover egg whites to make mini meringue kisses or marshmallow fluff.
Vanilla extract
Vanilla takes the lead as the quintessential flavouring for pastry cream. It infuses the custard with a rich, warm aroma and a touch of sweetness.
You have two options: You can use a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste or opt for the indulgent route by using a whole vanilla pod.
For the latter, simply split the pod lengthways and scrape out the vanilla seeds. Add both the seeds and the two halves of the pod to the milk, letting them work their magic through infusion.
While vanilla reigns supreme, don't forget that you can also explore other flavourings to create unique variations, like almond extract or citrus zest.
Butter
To put the finishing touches on the Crème Pâtissière, we add a dollop of butter, quickly whisked into the warm mixture. This final step not only enhances the custard's flavour but also gives it a lovely shine.
How to make Crème Pâtissière: Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan, pour in the milk and the vanilla extract (or any other flavourings you prefer).
- Using medium-low heat, slowly bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Be sure to keep a watchful eye on it. Milk can burn rather swiftly and even the slightest scorch can negatively impact the flavour of your pastry cream.
- As the milk is gradually warming up, place the sugar, egg yolks, all-purpose flour and cornstarch into a large bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients together thoroughly until they are well combined with no lumps.
- Check on the milk. As soon as it reaches a gentle simmer, remove it from the heat.
- Carefully pour about one-third of the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture and quickly whisk it together. This process is called tempering.
- Next, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and give it a thorough whisk to combine all the ingredients.
- Put the saucepan back on the stove over medium-low heat and slowly bring it to a gentle boil, making sure to whisk continuously.
- Once the mixture has reached a gentle boil and begins to thicken, reduce the heat to low.
Continue whisking vigorously for an additional 2 minutes to allow the flour and eggs to cook. Maintain a steady, gentle, 'slow bubble' - not too slow and not too fast.
- After 2 minutes, remove the pastry cream from the heat and add the butter.
- Whisk vigorously until the pastry cream becomes smooth, creamy and shiny.
- Transfer the hot pastry cream to a clean bowl and cover the surface with a piece of cling film to prevent a skin from forming.
Let it cool down to room temperature before placing the bowl in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
- When you're ready to use the pastry cream, give it a thorough whisk to make it smoother. If you need it to be a bit thinner, especially for something like a trifle, you can add a splash of milk or cream and whisk it in until it reaches your desired consistency.
Top tips
Don't stop whisking
Diligent whisking is vital as it guarantees that the pastry cream thickens uniformly and minimises the risk of lumps or burnt spots. Use a wire whisk and not a fork or a spoon.
Avoid distractions, such as checking your phone or multitasking in the kitchen.
Keep it bubbling
After the mixture has thickened, be sure to maintain that gentle, consistent 'slow bubble'. If it's too low, you might encounter texture problems and if it's too high, the pastry cream could burn.
Pause the whisking for a second and see if you notice the slow 'plop...plop...' effect. That's the sweet spot.
Variations
- For a chocolate pastry cream, incorporate good quality chocolate by melting it into the warm pastry cream.
- Whisk in pastes like Nutella or Biscoff once the pastry cream has cooled down. Don't add it while the cream is still hot as it may present it from setting.
- Add zest from citrus fruits like oranges, lemons or limes.
- Blend in fruit puree such as raspberry or passion fruit.
- Mix in coffee or espresso to create a coffee-flavoured custard that pairs wonderfully with coffee-flavoured cakes or desserts.
- Experiment with spices like cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg to add warmth and complexity to your pastry cream.
- For an adult twist, a splash of liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Amaretto can provide a sophisticated flavour to your pastry cream.
Uses for Crème Pâtissière
- Crème Légère.
- Crème Diplomat.
- Crème Chiboust.
- Crème Mousseline.
- Choux pastries.
- Eclairs.
- Mille-Feuille.
- Tarts.
- Filling for cakes.
- Profiteroles.
- Danish pastries.
- Fruit tarts.
- Custard buns.
- Doughnuts.
- Cream puffs.
- Filled croissants.
- Parfaits.
- Filled Pancakes.
- Cannoli.
- Waffles.
Storage
You can store your pastry cream in an airtight container. To prevent a skin from forming, place a sheet of plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper directly on the surface of the cream. Keep it in the fridge and it will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Not suitable for freezing.
Pairs well with
Jam and coconut sponge (instead of custard)
Hot cross bun bread and butter pudding (instead of custard)
Recipe
Crème Pâtissière Recipe (Vanilla Pastry Cream)
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 large bowl
- 1 wire whisk
Ingredients
- 500 millilitre full cream milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract - or one vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 2.5 tablespoons plain flour - or 20g
- 2.5 tablespoons cornstarch - or 20g
- 1 tablespoon butter (heaped tabelspoon) - or 20g
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, pour in the milk and the vanilla extract (or any other flavourings you prefer).500 millilitre full cream milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Using medium-low heat, slowly bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Be sure to keep a watchful eye on it. Milk can burn rather swiftly and even the slightest scorch can negatively impact the flavour of your pastry cream.
- As the milk is gradually warming up, place the sugar, egg yolks, all-purpose flour and cornstarch into a bowl.100 grams caster sugar, 6 egg yolks, 2.5 tablespoons plain flour, 2.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- Whisk the ingredients together thoroughly until they are well combined with no lumps.
- Check on the milk. As soon as it reaches a gentle simmer, remove it from the heat.
- Carefully pour about one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture and quickly whisk it together. This process is called tempering.
- Next, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk and give it a thorough whisk to combine all the ingredients.
- Put the saucepan back on the stove over medium-low heat and slowly bring it to a gentle boil, making sure to whisk continuously.
- Once the mixture has reached a gentle boil and begins to thicken, reduce the heat to low. Continue whisking vigorously for an additional 2 minutes from boiling point to allow the flour and eggs to cook. Maintain a steady, gentle, 'slow bubble' - not too slow and not too fast.
- After the 2 minutes, remove the pastry cream from the heat and add the butter.1 tablespoon butter (heaped tabelspoon)
- Whisk vigorously until the pastry cream becomes smooth, creamy and shiny.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool down before placing the bowl in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
- When you're ready to use the pastry cream, give it a thorough whisk to make it smoother. If you need it to be a bit thinner, especially for something like a trifle, you can add a splash of milk or cream and whisk it in until it reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
Don't stop whisking
Diligent whisking is vital as it guarantees that the pastry cream thickens uniformly and minimises the risk of lumps or burnt spots. Use a wire whisk and not a fork or a spoon. Avoid distractions, such as checking your phone or multitasking in the kitchen.Keep it bubbling
After the mixture has thickened, be sure to maintain that gentle, consistent 'slow bubble'. If it's too low, you might encounter texture problems and if it's too high, the pastry cream could burn. Pause the whisking for a second and see if you notice the slow 'plop...plop...' effect. That's the sweet spot.**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
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