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Silky Vanilla Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)

Pastry cream, or creme patissiere, is a silky smooth staple in pastry desserts making it the perfect filling for eclairs, cream puffs and fruit tarts.

Closeup of a small grey bowl with pastry cream and fresh berries on top

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When I first started blogging, I was a dry sponge ready to absorb everything and anything food related. When my kids were babies, I was parked on the couch with a sleeping tot and watching Sara Moulton make soup or Emeril Lagesse make tiramisu.

I also collected many cookbooks, too, written by chefs, bloggers and even celebrities. Most celebrity cookbooks are actually written and developed by talented chefs. But one celebrity cookbook that I still covet today is Sophia Loren’s Recipes & Memories.

First published in 1998, Ms. Loren taught me how to cook Italian food. The food pictures in her cookbook made my mouth water. Her stories about her friends and family made me smile.

I have made almost every single recipe in her book. One of my favorite recipes is her Vanilla Pastry Cream. 

Spreading pomegranate arils over a tart shell filled with pastry cream

Why this recipe is so great

Pastry cream is one of those core recipes in the pastry world. It is not quite a custard, which is thicker, but it is thicker than a cream sauce.

You can pipe pastry cream inside cream puff dough and eclairs. It is use spread it in a tart shell to provide a base for a fruit tart. For an even simpler yet elegant dessert, serve with fresh seasonal fruit and berries.

The longer you cook the pastry cream, the thicker it gets so you control the final texture you want. You do need to keep an eye on the cream while it is simmering so it doesn’t turn lumpy. But it is not difficult or require any complicated cooking skills. Just a watchful eye and a whisk.

Ingredients you need

Ingredients labeled and needed to make vanilla pastry cream

Step-by-step directions

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat warm milk and vanilla extract until just before the boiling point.

Overhead view of milk and vanilla extract in a white enamel pot

2. In a large bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar together until pale yellow.

A glass mixing bowl with egg yolks and granulated sugar

3. Whisk in all purpose flour until just combined.

A glass mixing bowl with cornstarch sprinkled over whipped egg mixture

3. Continue whisking and slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Do this a little at a time, so as not to curdle the eggs.

Whisking warm milk into a glass bowl to make pastry cream

4. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and slowly bring it close to the boiling point, stirring constantly. Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle and you will have a lumpy sauce. When pudding has thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes.

Simmering pastry cream in a white enamel pot to thicken

5. Place a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming and cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until ready to serve.

Pastry cream cooling off in a metal bowl covered in plastic wrap

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQS

The key to making homemade puddings, custards and creams is patience. You want to heat everything over medium heat because you don’t want it to boil or curdle. You need to whisk regularly to keep the mixture smooth.

This might sound like a lot, but honestly it is fairly easy to whip up.

How long will pastry cream last in the fridge?

If you use fresh and newly purchased ingredients, pasty cream can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Remember, eggs and milk are perishables and have expiration dates.

Overhead shot of a small grey bowl with pastry cream and fresh berries on top
pomegranate ecookbook cover and table of contents

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Yield: about 2-3 cups

Vanilla Pastry Cream

Closeup of a small grey bowl with pastry cream and fresh berries on top

Pastry cream, or creme patissiere, is a silky smooth staple in pastry desserts making it the perfect filling for eclairs, cream puffs and fruit tarts.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • Vanilla Pastry Cream
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour, sifted

Instructions

    1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat warm milk to just before the boiling point.
    2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
    3. In a large bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar together until pale yellow.
    4. Whisk in all-purpose flour.
    5. Continue whisking and slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture. Do this a little at a time, so as not to curdle the eggs.
      Pour mixture back into the saucepan and slowly bring it close to the boiling point, stirring constantly. Do not let it boil or the eggs will curdle and you will have a lumpy sauce.
    6. When pudding has thickened, remove from heat and allow to cool 10 mins.
    7. Place a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming and cool to room temperature.
    8. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until ready to serve.

Notes

Pastry cream can be use with fresh fruit, a filling for a fruit tart, or piped into cream puffs and eclairs.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

¼ cup

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 131Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 15gProtein: 4g

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