Learn how to make a paste of flour, eggs, vanilla, and milk. This can be used to create desserts such as éclairs and cream puffs. This is an easy pastry cream recipe that uses one pot and there's no need to temper the eggs.
Table of Content
Pastry cream is a filling that contains milk together with sugar, eggs, starch, and flavorings. It is often used in desserts, and puddings and is a sweet filling that is used in tarts and cakes as well.
If you plan on mastering desserts, this recipe is a must-have in your repertoire. You will be making it often as a component on its own or as an ingredient in another component. We often use it in mousses and Danishes, entremets, Mille-feuille, and even in cakes.
Why make this recipe
- The classic recipe for pastry cream requires tempering of egg yolk mixture with a hot milk mixture. This can be an intimidating process for homebakers with the risk of curding the eggs. But, this recipe takes away the need to temper the eggs or heat the milk.
- Plus, no tempering also means we do not need all those extra dishes, you can make this in just one pot from start to finish.
- Also, this recipe uses the same ingredients as the classic recipe. The only difference is in the method and the result is the same rich and creamy, with a velvety texture.
- You need only 5 ingredients and most of them are easy to find or pantry staples.
- The whole recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes.
- It is a perfect base for many desserts such as fruit tarts, mousses, Bavarian creams, ice cream, and more.
Ingredients and substitutes
- 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.
- Egg yolks - We need good quality, large egg yolks here. It's what gives the pastry cream its richness. The egg yolks also contribute to the color of the final product. So, I prefer to use organic eggs with a light orange color. Again this is optional, the regular egg yolks work just fine.
- 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 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon 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.
One-Pot Pastry Cream Recipe
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine egg yolks and sugar. Add the cornstarch - combine well with a whisk
- Then, add the salt and vanilla extract. Followed by the milk. Stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Pro tip - Gradually, add the milk a little at a time to prevent lumps.
- Then, place the pan on medium-low heat and continue to cook the pastry cream stirring all the time. When the pastry cream is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon or spatula add the butter and take it off the heat.
Pro tip - The liquid will transform from a foamy liquid to a thick custard with no foam at all.
- Strain through a mesh or sieve - discard the vanilla pod as well as any curdled eggs. Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap.
Pro tip - straining will ensure a smooth texture and remove any curdled or thickened milk solids - Let cool completely before you store it in the refrigerator. This is a delicious dessert on its own or used as a filling in pastry, tarts, or other treats.
Storage
- Crème pâtissière aka pastry cream has to be stored in the fridge because it contains eggs and milk. Never leave creme patisserie at room temperature.
- Always place the plastic wrap over the surface of the pastry cream, this will prevent a skin from forming.
- This can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days only.
- You cannot freeze creme patisserie because when thawed it tends to break down. The starch and egg protein separate.
Tips for success
- Always use good quality ingredients - fresh eggs are very important for this recipe.
- Heat the milk with the vanilla bean for a few minutes before you temper the egg yolks. This lets the milk infuse with the vanilla and results in a wonderful rich vanilla flavor.
- Whip the egg yolks, sugar, and starch with a whisk until light and fluffy to prevent lumps.
- There is no need to rush the tempering process. Take your time and pour the hot milk mixture a little at a time. What is important, is that you continue to move the egg mixture while pouring the milk to prevent curdling.
- A whisk or wooden spoon works great when stirring to prevent lumps
- You must stir all the time - this will prevent the milk and egg from curdling and you will have a silky smooth custard.
- Stirring can be very boring but it is important to keep the heat med-low and stir constantly. Medium-high heat can cause the milk solids to burn easily.You want the mixture to cook and thicken at the same time. If you thicken it too fast, it may curdle but it may also be undercooked. The slow process helps cook the eggs as well as the cornstarch. The mixture will look reduced in quantity when thickened.
- This mixture will continue to thicken as it cools and chills in the fridge.
- Straining is necessary to remove any lumps - giving you a smooth velvety creamy pastry.
- Always cover the top surface of the custard to prevent any skin from forming. If you don't that skin will later result in lumpy pastry cream which can block the piping bags.
Variations
- Creme Anglaise - this is a custard sauce or pouring version of this recipe. It is often used as a sauce to serve with cakes, brownies, and pastries. The simplest way to make it is to use less cornstarch and thickness it for less time. Reduce cornstarch by 1 tablespoon and remove while still pouring consistency.
- Creme Patissiere - A thicker version made with additional cornstarch. The purpose of this is to use as a filling in cakes, desserts, and pastries so it won't flow out. In order to thicken the custard longer additional cornstarch is used which also prevents the eggs from curdling. Add 1 additional tablespoon of cornstarch and cook until the cream is more thicker.
- Creme chantilly - a combination of pastry cream with sweetened whipped cream. I like equal quantity of pastry cream and whipped cream
- Creme legere - is a thick creme patissiere with sweetened whipped cream. (Same amount as chantilly).
- Diplomat cream - a combinatin of pastry cream or creme patissiere with stabilized whipped cream. The gelatin in the whipped cream helps keep the creme longer. (Same amount as chantilly)
- Creme bavarios is a dessert made on its own made with custard or pastry cream, whipped cream, and gelatin which helps set like a pudding. Try myBavarian cream,
- Stawberry bavarian cream or bavarian cream cake
- Eggless bavarian cream.
- Custard cake filling - I like to add some all-purpose flour along with cornstarch to make a cake filling. This helps thicken the pastry cream making it stable for filling between layers of a cake.
What is pastry cream used for?
- Very commonly used with choux pastry such as in classic profiteroles, mille-feuille, and chocolate eclairs.
- You can also use pastry cream as a cake filling between layers for a layered cake.
- Add some strawberry puree and whipped cream to creme patisserie make a quick strawberry mousse.
- And, add some melted chocolate and whipped cream to pastry cream to make a quick chocolate mousse.
- Spread creme patisserie evenly in a pre-baked tart shell topped with your favorite fruits and you have a fruit tart.
- Also, you find it often used in most bakeries and restaurants as a filling for cakes and pastries.
- In addition, one of the easiest desserts you can create is a fruit tart with vanilla pastry cream as a base topped with fresh fruits as I did in my Blueberry Tart or Fresh Strawberry Tart.
More custard-based recipes
- Creme Brulee, Apricot Creme Brûlée, Pumpkin Creme Brûlée
- Creme Caramel - flan, Creme Caramel Apricot Flan
- Panna Cotta - Strawberry, Mango, Blackberry, Blueberry,
- Chocolate Soufflé Tart, Pumpkin Souffle
- See all custard desserts or see all dessert recipes
- See all custard-based desserts
Frequently asked questions
What eggs are best for pastry cream or creme patisserie?
You want to use fresh eggs as aged eggs sometimes add an egg smell to the pastry cream. I use large eggs that weigh about 60 to 70 grams. Organic eggs usually have a wonderful bright orange yolk, which gives the pastry cream that rich golden yellow color.
Can I make this a dairy-free 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.
What are the different pastry cream recipes?
Often, we get confused about baking terminologies and French names. If you've wondered what they are you might find this useful.
Creme Chantilly - sweetened whipped cream.
And Creme Patissiere - vanilla pastry cream made with milk and thickened with egg yolks.
Creme Anglaise, also 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 - pastry cream combined with Chantilly.
Creme Diplomat - pastry cream or Crème pâtissière with stabilized whipped cream and gelatin. Extra flavorings are used with the cream when adding it to the creme diplomat.
Troubleshooting
- Why has my pastry cream curdled?
Pastry cream needs to be cooked slowly on medium to low heat. Too high heat can cause the eggs to scramble and curdle, which results in lumpy pastry cream. - Why is my pastry cream lumpy?
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. - Or why is my pastry cream is too thin?
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. - Why is my pastry cream too thick?
Too much starch can cause the custard to be too thick or sometimes doughy. So, always measure the ingredients well and use only the amount stated in the recipe. You can thin down a thick creme patisserie by adding a little whipped cream
You may also like
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it.
Save it for later.
You can also find a collection of my recipes and tutorials here on Pinterest. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And, don't forget to subscribe to my blog to receive new recipes by email.
Printable Recipe
Pastry Cream Recipe - One-pot
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 158kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 2 cups
Description
Have you ever made a pastry cream? The classic method of tempering the eggs can be intimidating to some. Today, I will show you an easier, one-pot, no-fuss method to make pastry cream.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 2 cups (470 ml) Milk (whole)
- 4 Egg yolks (large)
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar (white)
- 4 tablespoon (60 g) Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp (30 g) Butter (unsalted)
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine egg yolks and sugar. Add the cornstarch - combine well with a whisk
- Then, add the salt and vanilla extract. Followed by the milk. Stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Pro tip - Gradually, add the milk a little at a time to prevent lumps.
- Then, place the pan on medium-low heat and continue to cook the pastry cream stirring all the time. When the pastry cream is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon or spatula add the butter and take it off the heat.Pro tip - The liquid will transform from a foamy liquid to a thick custard with no foam at all.
- Strain through a mesh or sieve - discard the vanilla pod as well as any curdled eggs. Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap.Pro tip - straining will ensure a smooth texture and remove any curdled or thickened milk solids
- Let cool completely before you store it in the fridge. This is a delicious dessert on its own or used as a filling in pastry, tarts, or other treats.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always use good quality ingredients - fresh eggs is very important for creme patisserie.
- Whip the egg yolks, sugar, and starch well to prevent lumps.
- A whisk or wooden spoon works great when stirring.
- You must stir all the time - this will prevent the milk and egg from curdling and you will have a silky smooth custard.
- Stirring can be very boring but it is important to keep the heat between medium and low while stirring constantly.
- You want the mixture to cook and thicken at the same time. If you thicken it too fast, it may curdle but it may also be undercooked. The slow process helps cook the eggs as well as the cornstarch.
- This mixture will continue to thicken as it cools and chills in the fridge.
- Sieve is necessary to remove any lumps - giving you a smooth velvety creamy pastry.
- Always cover the top surface of the custard to prevent any skin from forming. If you don't that skin will later result in lumpy pastry cream.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 158- kcalCarbohydrates: 20- gProtein: 3- gFat: 7- gSaturated Fat: 4- gCholesterol: 111- mgSodium: 93- mgPotassium: 90- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 16- gVitamin A: 317- IUCalcium: 81- mgIron: 1- mg
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
Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov
Nancy
Pastry Day 11 DONE
Cindy Alger
Pastry Day 11 DONE
Just had a question about the amount of vanilla to use. In the Ingredients and Substitutes section it states to use 2 Tblsp of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, but in the recipe it only calls for 1 tsp. Which amount is correct? Thanks so much for all the time and work you put into these lessons. It is deeply appreciated.
Veena Azmanov
It is 1 tsp of vanilla extract or bean paste.
Mame Recckio-Wolfe
"Pastry Day 11 DONE"...just wanted to make a comment that when I clicked on the title in the email it took me to the Flour lesson, so I had to look up each pastry cream recipe separately.
I also want to thank-you for all the hard work and time to have taken to put the lessons together - it is greatly appreciated, so thank-you...Mame
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for bringing this to my attention Mame. Just fixed it. Thanks
Mame Recckio-Wolfe
Oh, thank-you...I'm glad to know that I didn't do something wrong...thanks again - you're the best!!!...Mame
J
Hello! Can I make pastry cream without milk and use chrysanthemum tea instead? What is the function of using milk in pastry cream (in terms of science)?
Veena Azmanov
Yes, you can use any liquid instead of milk. Just make sure not to curdle it.
J
Oh! Do you mean that the milk helps to reduce the risk of the pastry cream curdling?
By the way, thanks!
Veena Azmanov
The cornstarch helps to prevent the pastry cream from curdling.