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Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)

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Pastry Cream or Cream Patissiere is creamy custard that thickened with cornstarch and eggs yolks. This cream is very delicious and used in many desserts. If you like to bake you need to know how to make this cream. I am sharing this recipe with you and you can make this cream at home.

Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)

Types of pastry creams

  • Cream Patissiere is the base for all these creams. Recipe below.
  • Cream Anglaise is a pouring custard. This this a runny version of pastry cream.
  • Cream Chantilly is lightly whipped cream with sugar and flavored with vanilla.
  • Cream Legere is pastry cream (cream Patissiere) with sweetened and flavored whipped cream (chantilly) added.
  • Cream Diplomat is cream Patissiere mixed with chantilly and gelatine.
  • Cream Bavarois is cream patissiere mixed with chantilly, but with extra gelatine. This cream sets like pudding and served as separate dessert.

How to make Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Milk. Use whole milk for this recipe. This gives the cream richness and creaminess.
  • Vanilla. Use reall vanilla or vanilla bean paste.
  • Egg yoolks. Room temperature.
  • Sugar. White granulated sugar.
  • Cornstarch. This will help to thicken the pastry cream.
  • Butter. Unsalted butter room temperature.
Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)

In the saucepan add milk and vanilla bean paste. If you are using real vanilla string, then cut and scrape seeds into milk. Cook the milk over medium heat only just comes to boil.

While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl untill pale.

Add the cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk well untill combine.

Pour the hot milk in a slow and thin stream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, with constant whisking, untill thickened and it comes to boil. This will take 1-2 minutes. When the mixture comes to boil, cook for about 1 minute more. This helps the cornstarch to achieve its full thickening power.

Remove the pastry cream from the heat and add the butter. Stir untill the butter has melted and fully incorporated into the cream. Transfer the cream into heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap “to contact”. Allow cream to cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate the pastry cream untill needed.

Common Pastry Cream mistakes

  • cream is lumpy. That means egg yolks scrambled during cooking. You can stain cream through a fine mesh sieve to remove lumps.
  • cream is runny and thin. This happends if you did not cook enough or did not add enough cornstarch. Cook cream a few minutes longer.
  • cream is too thick. You added too much cornctarch. Use digital kitchen scale to weight ingredients.

Where to use Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)

Use pastry cream in eclairs, choux pastries, pies or tarts. This is basic cream in pastry world and used in many desserts. You can also add different flavors to this cream, like pistachio paste, coffee, hazelnut or chocolate.

How to store

Store pastry cream in air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This cream can not be frozen. When frozen it will loose thickness and become runny. It always better to make fresh cream and use in desserts.

Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)
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5 from 1 vote

Pastry Cream (Cream Patissiere)

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Author Marina of www.everythingmarina.com

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk 480 gr
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 6 egg yolks room remperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 gr
  • 6 Tbsp cornstarch 45 gr
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter 55 gr

Instructions

  • In the saucepan add milk and vanilla bean paste. If you are using real vanilla string, then cut and scrape seeds into milk.
  • Cook the milk over medium heat only just comes to boil. 
  • While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl untill pale. 
  • Add the cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk well untill combine. 
  • Pour the hot milk in a slow and thin stream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. 
  • Return the mixture to the saucepan.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, with constant whisking, untill thickened and it comes to boil. This will take 1-2 minutes. When the mixture comes to boil, cook for about 1 minute more. This helps the cornstarch to achieve its full thickening power. 
  • Remove the pastry cream from the heat and add the butter. Stir untill the butter has melted and fully incorporated into the cream.
  • Transfer the cream into heat-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap "to contact". Allow cream to cool completely to room temperature.
  • Refrigerate the pastry cream untill needed.

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