How to Make Pastry Cream

 If you’re a fan of Bakeoff or other baking competitions, you’ve surely seen contestants whipping up batches of pastry cream to fill and frost their fabulous creations. But have you ever wondered how to make pastry cream at home?

Pastry cream, or creme pâtisserie, is a staple component in the French pastry kitchen. Made with just a few simple ingredients (egg yolks, milk, sugar, cornflour/cornstarch, and flour) and thickened on the stovetop, this custard-like cream plays key role in many desserts. It is a popular filling choice for éclairs, cream puffs, tarts, cakes, and doughnuts. Pastry cream is also the star player in both the tart aux fruits and a classic Boston cream pie.

 

First, gather the necessary tools.

Next, measure out all of your ingredients: Whole milk, sugar, egg yolks, flour, cornflour, and vanilla bean paste or extract. (See recipe below for the exact quantities needed.)

In a large bowl, combine eggs, flour, cornflour, vanilla, and half of the sugar.

Whisk together, then set aside until ready to use.

In a saucepan, combine milk and remaining sugar.

Stir gently to dissolve the sugar, then warm mixture over medium heat until steaming. (Do not boil).

Tempering

Once steaming, temper the hot milk into the whisked egg mixture. To do this, simply pour the hot milk gradually into the egg bowl in a thin stream, whisking well after each addition. Be careful not to pour too quickly or add all of the milk at once.

Once tempered, the mixture should look something like this:

Cooking the Cream

Next, pour the entire tempered mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a whisk or spatula. You’ll notice that the mixture will begin to thicken as it cooks.

Once the mixture has thickened nicely, it should look something like this:

Allow the thickened mixture to come to a low boil, and allow it to boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. This helps to cook some of the starchiness out of the pastry cream.

Let It Cool

Using a clean rubber spatula, transfer pastry cream to a metal tray, and spread evenly over the surface. Spreading the cream on a tray will allow it to cool faster than it will in a bowl.

Cover with a layer of clingfilm/plastic wrap and use your hands to “pat down” the film. You want to make sure it is directly touching the pastry cream. This prevents a “skin” from forming on top.

Set tray aside for a few minutes and allow the creme pat to cool to room temperature. (If you don’t need it immediately, store the tray in the refrigerator until ready to use.)

“Knocking Back” the Cream

Once cooled, remove the clingfilm and use a spatula to scrape the pastry cream into a clean mixing bowl.

Use a clean whisk to knock back the cream. “Knocking back” is the process of whisking/stirring the cooled mixture to remove any lumps. This creates a smooth and creamy texture for piping or spreading.

If you are making a large quantity of creme pâtisserie, or simply want to make things easier, you can use an electric mixer to knock back your pastry cream. You can scrape your cream into the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until smooth and creamy.

And that’s it! Your creme pat is now ready to use. You can pour it into a tart shell, spread on a layer cake, or transfer it to a piping bag and use the cream to fill doughnuts, choux buns, or éclairs. I used this batch to fill my Boston cream pie macarons!

 

 

If you missed it, be sure to check out my first tutorial for a step-by-step guide to cooking sugar (and creating a fun batch of watermelon lollipops in the process!)

And if you make these, or any of my recipes, be sure to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

Print