Eggless Pastry Cream / Eggless Crème pâtissière
Vanilla pastry cream is usually made with eggs and is a perfect base for many desserts, such as fruit tarts, mousses, Bavarian Creams, and ice-cream. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for eggless vanilla pastry cream, or eggless Crème Pâtissière, opens up a whole new world of desserts for people who can’t have eggs. Compared to the classic vanilla pastry cream made with egg yolks, this one is also less on the calories and more healthy to indulge in without losing any of the silky smooth goodness.
Have you looked at a dessert and said wow I wish I could make that but it has eggs. Well, now you can. If you replace the regular egg-based vanilla pastry cream with this eggless vanilla pastry cream. It’s easy and no one will believe it’s not the classic egg-based Crème Pâtissière.
Healthier Options
Did you know that just by replacing the classic vanilla pastry cream in your favorite dessert to an eggless vanilla pastry cream, you can reduce the fat (calories) by half? Yes!! small changes to your lifestyle are more sustainable than saying – oh no more desserts for me. It’s hard to keep up with that. Don’t you think?
We eat eggs at home, and yet often for dessert, I will substitute little things that are negligent like this eggless for the classic. I make pancakes with oil not butter and my kids don’t know the difference.
Also, I use milk in my soups, not cream. If you check out my soup recipes you will see a little trick I use to keep the milk from splitting which works great as a thickener too.
Different Crème Pâtissière aka pastry cream based recipes /
Almost everything I have learned in baking has been self-taught. So there were times when I was confused about baking terminologies and French names. I wondered what is Creme Anglaise, Creme Chantilly, Crème pâtissière, Creme Legere, Creme diplomat, etc. Too many creme versions and often quite similar. If you are in the same boat as I was a few years ago, here’s a little help for you.
You can create an eggless version for any of these by simply substituting the classic pastry cream with this eggless Crème Pâtissière.
- Creme Chantilly – is basically sweetened whipped cream.
- And Creme Patissiere is this vanilla pastry cream made with milk and thickened with egg yolks.
- Creme Anglaise is often referred to as pouring custard. Basically a runny version of pastry creme. Often used as a sauce over desserts. Made the same way as pastry cream, thickened with cornstarch along with egg yolks until it’s a pouring consistency.
- While Creme Legere is pastry cream combined with Chantilly.
- Creme Diplomat – is pastry cream or Crème pâtissière with stabilized whipped cream and gelatin. Often extra flavorings are used with the cream when adding it to the creme diplomat.
How does Eggless Crème Pâtissière taste?
I think the professionals know the difference but to my kids, these are both the same. It has the same consistency and thickness and can be used in almost any recipe that calls for the classic Crème Pâtissière
One of the easiest desserts you can make is a fruit tart filled with pastry cream and fresh seasonal fruit as I have done with my blueberry tart or strawberry tart. But, instead of using the classic I use this eggless Crème Pâtissière.
Ah, the color?
The custard starts off in white of course and I add egg yellow food color gel to make it yellow so now my egg-less version does not look any different from the regular classic vanilla pastry cream. I do this only when I need to show the Crème Pâtissière. If its used as an ingredient I just leave it white.
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (save/pin)
- Milk – Use regular full-fat milk, not low-fat milk. The milk is one of the main ingredients here, so make sure you use at least 3% fat. Low fat will just not thicken enough.
- Vanilla – You also must use good quality vanilla for this pastry cream. It does make a huge difference. I use a vanilla bean but you can also use 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste or 2 tbsp vanilla extract.
- Cornstarch/cornflour – In addition to the egg, this cornstarch will help thicken the pastry cream even more. You can add more or less depending on the consistency of pastry cream you need.
Useful Tips and Tools
- I like to use a heavy bottom saucepan when making custard-based sauces so the heat is distributed evenly.
- And use a large mixing bowl enough to accommodate most of the milk.
- A balloon whisk works perfectly when trying to whip things light and fluffy.
- Also, always measure ingredients such as starch with the right measuring spoon – no guessing.
- A silicon spatula works best to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan.
- Lastly, you must cover the surface of the custard well with a plastic cling wrap.
How to make Eggless Pastry Cream or Eggless Crème pâtissière (Save/Pin)
Ingredients – see below in the recipe card with unit conversions.
Method
- Combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla.
- Stir well until cornflour is well combined.
- Heat on medium heat stirring constantly.
- Once the milk is hot – low the heat to medium-low to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Continue to cook stirring constantly until the milk thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- The more you cook – the thicker the pastry cream will become.
- Pour into a bowl and cover with cling /plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming at the top.
- This can be chilled and enjoyed as vanilla pastry cream or used in any desserts as an ingredient.
Frequently asked questions.
Ideally, a good quality vanilla bean, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract would work.
When it comes to custard-based desserts with egg yolks, I love to use the scraping and the whole vanilla bean. This gives a wonderful vanilla flavor and takes away any egg smell from the pastry cream.
You can make a dairy-free custard by simply substituting the milk in the recipe with almond milk, coconut milk or soy milk. Coconut milk is my favorite and I often use it when I make coconut mousse.
Yes, this Crème pâtissière is made with cornstarch instead of flour. In the past, all-purpose flour was often used to thicken custard. And yet, these days, almost everybody uses cornstarch. But, if you are allergic to gluten it would be best to check with the kitchen first just to make sure.
I prefer to use a whisk and cook pastry cream on medium-low heat to keep things moving and homogenous. If the heat is high and the mixing is not even, the custard can get lumpy. Remove it off the heat – give it a good whisk and place it back on low to continue cooking. Adjust heat accordingly.
Crème pâtissière needs to be cooked until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you take it off too quickly it will be thin and often undercooked.
Too much starch can cause the custard to be too thick or sometimes doughy. So, a
What desserts can I make with vanilla pastry cream?
Here are a few desserts that I have shared with you. Mousse, Tiramisu and tarts are often the most common.
- Strawberry Mousse Domes with PC inserts
- Mango Mouse – vegetarian mango mousse
- Mango coconut cream mousse (vegan, vegetarian)
- Classic strawberry mousse
- The Best chocolate mousse
- Eggless chocolate mousse
- Vegan chocolate mousse
- Blackberry mousse (eggless)
- Chestnut mousse (eggless)
- Vanilla Bavarian cream
- Strawberry Bavarian cream
- Strawberry Bavarian cream cake
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Eggless Vanilla Pastry Cream, Eggless Crème Pâtissière
Print Pin RateDescription
Equipment /Tools
Ingredients
- 500 ml Milk
- 50 grams Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 pinch Salt
Conversions – Switch between Metric & US for other measurement options
Instructions
- Combine milk, sugar, cornstarch and vanilla.
- Stir well until cornflour is well combined.
- Cook on medium heat stirring constantly.
- Once the milk is hot – lower the heat to medium-low to prevent the bottom from burning.
- Continue to cook stirring constantly until the milk thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- The more you cook – the thicker the pastry cream will become.
- Pour into a bowl and cover with cling /plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming at the top.
- This can be chilled and enjoyed as vanilla pastry cream or used in any desserts as an ingredient.
Recipe Video
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Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Alyssa
Hello! Quick question: can this custard be used in between layers of cake? Well either way I’m going to try it, so I’ll leave some feedback later 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Yes you can use pastry cream in between layers as long as you use a buttercream or ganache dam around the edges. You can use this recipe vanilla pastry cream cake filling – it’s more stable.
Ann
Hi i would like to know can i replace some of the milk for alcohol if i want it boozy? And if i don’t use milk but use juice how long is the shelf then?
Veena Azmanov
Hey Ann, Yes you can use alcohol but I highly recommend adding the alcohol after you have taken it off the heat. So make it thicker than you need so when you add the alcohol it will be jus the right consistency. Make sense?
Phil
I never knew there was something called eggless vanilla pastry cream. I just usually never made any dessert that called for vanilla pastry cream. You just opened a whole new world of desserts for me with this recipe. It was so easy to make and it tasted so delicious on its own. The kids could not tell the difference. Thank you
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Phil. Yes, I know what you mean. This opens a whole new world of possibilities. So glad you found my recipe. Enjoy! Thank you for coming back to write this feedback.
KD
Hi this looks gooood! Can you please tell me if I can use this along with fruits(like canned pineapple pieces) to fill cakes?
Thanks!
Veena Azmanov
Yes you can definitely try it with fresh or canned fruits. Just drain the fruit well so it wont’ dilute the pastry cream too much. You can also substitute some of the milk for the juice to add more flavor. Enjoy!
Diana Emmons
Once again you have amazed me. Time and time again I return to your site and find exactly what I need to know to make something eggless and delish. I made this eggless pastry cream and created a delicious mixed berry tart to satisfy my husband’s raging sweet tooth! The pastry cream was soft, creamy and so delicious I nearly couldn’t stop myself from eating! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes and all the delight you bring to me and my family! Life long visitor here now!
Veena Azmanov
Aww so happy to hear that Diana. You just made my day. I love when people have success with my recipes!! Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. I have no problem with eggs but I still often make the eggless version. It’s so simple and easy. Happy you like my recipes. Thanks for the lovely comment.
Simona
Could I use turmeric to color it? Only a bit because I wouldn’t want the custard to taste like turmeric.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Simona, I have never tried turmeric!! So not sure how it will taste. Turmeric does have a strong flavor though. I prefer to use edible food color which is tasteless and flavorless. Thanks
Hima
Hi Veena,
I’m making an 11 inch tart and I wanted to know if this would make enough pastry cream for that?
Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
This makes about 2 cups of pastry cream so yeah it will make a good filling for a 9-inch tart – a scant filling of an 11 inch – perhaps make double the amount – save the extra for chefs treat. I usually make 4 cups at a time and the kids are still cleaning the bowl… it’s so good.
Vergie
Made this last week and it was wonderful. Just like putting velvet in the mouth. Smooth and creamy. Thank you
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Vergie – Happy to hear you have great success with this recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback, appreciate it very much.
Marilyn
I made an eggless vanilla pastry cream for the first time. I didn’t even know you could make it eggless. I was looking for a substitute for the classic and came across this. So delicious and so low in fat!!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Marilyn – Happy to hear you have great success with this recipe. I know that feeling too..!Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback, appreciate it very much.
Ralph
Made this yesterday and it was so tasty. My first time making eggless vanilla pastry cream. didnt’ know it was possible. Thanks for sharing.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Ralph – So happy to hear you had success with this recipe and enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback – appreciate it very much.
Nadia
This was a perfect recipe for my tart this week. Thank you for sharing. I love custard and this turned out perfectly. Now I will make it all the time.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Nadia. Yes, this works great as a base for many desserts especially tarts. Happy to hear you are enjoying it.
Merry
Thank you for this recipe. I didn’t know that you could make eggless vanilla pastry cream. Going to try this soon. You have a wonderful blog. Thank you
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Merry. Yes, many people don’t know it’s possible to make an eggless version but it’s so good that you barely miss the classic.
Payal
Hi, what is the shelf life of this? Also how to store it?
Veena Azmanov
Hey Payal. Pastry cream is made with milk so it has to be stored in the fridge at all times. I will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days thanks
Shenaz
Hi veena,
I love your recipes.just wanted to know if I can use it to fill cake which I will be using under fondant.thanks in advance
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Shenaz…!! Yes you can fill a cake with vanilla pastry cream that will be covered with fondant. But since it has milk it will need to be kept in the fridge not on the counter. Also take note if you live in a hot and humid place the fondant will have condensation when you take it out of the fridge. Thanks
Elouise
Thank you for this recipe. I made eggless vanilla pastry cream for the first time. I wanted to make a french dessert but had no clue what to substitute the classic vanilla pastry cream. Finally I found your blog. I have book marked your blog as I want to try some of your recipes like the Bavarian Cream and the Chocolate Mousse.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Elouise. So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. I know what you mean often I substitute eggless for the classic too! Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much. Always feels good to get positive feedback.
Simon
Thank you so much for this recipe. It turned out perfect. Really could not tell that is was eggless. Looked the same as the classic vanilla pastry cream. And tasted great too! Thanks
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Simon – SO happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. I do often switch eggless for the classic too and my kids dont’ know the difference. Thanks for taking the time to come back and write this feedback. Appreciate it very much
Sita
Can this be used to fill cakes? If not, please direct me on how to make cake filling.
Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Yes you can use it to fill cakes but you just have to make it more thicker. Which means you cook it longer or you add more cornstarch so it get thicker.
Sita
Do you have any suggestions on how much cornstarch to add and how long to cook? Or what consistency it should be?
By the way, we have allergies to eggs and love all you eggless recipes!!
Veena Azmanov
Depends on how much you making. For this batch I’d say one tablespoon more cornstarch – cook for a few minutes more until really thicker than just coats the back the spoons.
Sita
I will try it out.
Thank you!!
Veena Azmanov
Sure – let me know
Nisi Nelson
Can this be made with coconut milk? I need diary free.
Veena Azmanov
Yes Nisi. You can use Coconut Milk and Margarine instead of butter to make it dairy free.
Sneha doshi
Do you have a recipe for eggless creme mousseline. With normal pastry cream if you add butter it gives it a richer taste also known as creme mousseline, but in you recipe I’m not sure how it would taste if I added the butter?
Veena Azmanov
Sneha – I use whipped cream for my creme mousseline not butter. I find butter too rich. I like the lighter taste of whipped cream instead. So I make the pastry cream – chill it – then whip the cream and add my cold pastry cream. Having said that – if you beat the butter until light and fluffy then add the chilled pastry cream – it should work.
ami
just tried it out now, and honestly I really didn’t expect it to turn out well…but it tastes great and it was so easy to make and didnt even take much time! thank u so much for sharing this recipe 😀
Veena Azmanov
Great to hear that.. Thank you!
Anonymous
Hello ,
I would like to use this recipe to fill in some cream puff dessert , Is it pipe-able recipe or Not ? I mean can i pipe it like the whipped cream
Veena Azmanov
That depends on the consistency you cook it. If you cook it longer it is thick so when it cools its good to pipe