Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière)
A smooth, rich vanilla custard that's perfect for filling cakes, éclairs and tarts. This make-ahead recipe is party-host approved , elegant, reliable, and always impressive.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 23 g cornstarch 3 level tbsp / 0.8 oz
- 500 ml full cream milk 2 cups / 17.6 oz
- 100 g white sugar ½ cup / 3.5 oz
- 14 g salted butter, room temperature 1 tbsp / 0.5 oz
- 2 tsp homemade vanilla sugar
- Seeds scraped from ½ vanilla bean
Instructions
- Whisk the egg mixture: In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth.
- Heat the milk: In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and sugar. Heat over medium until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges. Do not boil.
- Temper the eggs: Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
- Strain and cook: Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve back into the saucepan (this removes any bits of cooked egg). Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly.It will go from frothy to thick in about 1–2 minutes. Once large bubbles form and begin to burst, remove from heat.
- Add butter and vanilla sugar: Remove from heat and stir in the butter until fully melted and incorporated. Add the vanilla sugar and vanilla seeds. Allow to cool for 10 min.
- Chill: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Notes
- If working alone, use a stand mixer to whisk the egg yolks while slowly adding the hot milk.
- Pastry cream thickens more as it cools, perfect for piping into baked goods or layering in desserts.