Pastry Cream

Learn how to make homemade pastry cream with this step-by-step guide and recipe. A classic crème pâtissière for filling éclairs, choux buns, mille-feuilles, and tarts.

What is Pastry Cream?

If you’re a fan of Bakeoff or other baking competitions, you’ve seen contestants whipping up batches of pastry cream to fill and frost their fabulous creations. 

Pastry cream (crème pâtissière, or sometimes just “creme pat” for short) is a staple component in any French pastry kitchen. Made with just a few simple ingredients (egg yolks, milk, sugar, cornflour/cornstarch, flour, and vanilla) and thickened on the stovetop, this custard-like cream plays key role in many desserts. It is a popular filling choice for éclairs, choux buns, tarts, cakes, and doughnuts. Pastry cream is also the star player in a classic Boston cream pie.

Pastry Cream Recipe Ingredients

To make homemade pastry cream, you’ll need:

• Egg Yolks – You’ll need 50-60 grams of beaten egg yolk, or roughly the yolks of three large eggs. You won’t need the whites for this recipe, so save them to make another French classic: macarons!
• All Purpose Flour – Along with cornflour, all purpose flour (plain flour) helps to thicken the cream.
• Cornflour – Cornflour (cornstarch) acts as a thickening agent.
• Vanilla Bean Paste – Nielsen-Massey makes my go-to vanilla bean paste. You can also use the scrapings of a vanilla pod.
• Whole Milk – Stick with whole milk for the thickest, richest cream. Avoid fat-free or plant based milks.
• Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar (or caster sugar measured by weight) sweetens the pastry cream.

How To Make Pastry Cream

Notes on Tempering 

Tempering (gradually combining hot and cold ingredients) plays an important role in making crème pâtissière. If you add the hot milk too quickly, you’ll “cook” the cream into scrambled eggs. It’s the same technique I use to make custard-based ice creams, lemon curd, and vanilla pudding.

Next, 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. If tempered correctly, your pastry cream will not be “eggy” at all.

I don’t strain my pastry creams and homemade citrus curds, but if you’re new at tempering and notice little bits of egg in the finished product, you can remove with a fine mesh strainer.

Tips for Making Homemade Pastry Cream

Boil briefly. After cooking the cream on the stovetop until it turns thick and custard-like, bring allow the pastry cream to come to a low boil, then boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. This helps to cook some of the starchiness out of the pastry cream.

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

Cover with clingfilm. After spreading the pastry cream on a tray to cool, cover the entire surface with a layer of clingfilm/plastic wrap then use your hands to pat down the film. The plastic should come in direct contact with the pastry cream—this prevents a rubbery, unappealing “skin” from forming on top.

“Knocking Back” the Cream

“Knocking back” is the process of whisking or agitating the cooled pastry cream to remove any lumps and create a smooth and creamy texture for piping or spreading. In pastry school we learned to do this the “old fashioned” way: by hand, with a wire whisk!

I still prefer to whisk my pastry cream, but if you’re making a large quantity or simply want to make things easier, you can use a hand mixer or immersion blender to knock back the cream, or scrape into the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until smooth.

How to Use Homemade Pastry Cream

I love vanilla bean pastry cream for its versatility. You can pour it into a tart shell and cover with sliced fruit or berries to make a classic French tarte aux fruits:

Or, spread it between the layers of a cake; pipe it into doughnuts, choux buns, or éclairs; use as a component in a mille-feuille, or sandwich between macaron shells to make Boston cream pie macarons:

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

To use immediately: If you plan to use your pastry cream immediately, allow it to cool slightly on the tray, then knock back and proceed to spread or pipe as desired.

To make in advance: If making pastry cream ahead of time, cover the cream with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Knock back just before using.

Refrigerate pastry cream (or pastries containing pastry cream) for up to 48 hours. Do not freeze.

Other frosting and filling recipes you might enjoy:

Lime Curd
Earl Grey Ganache
Coconut Whipped Cream
Mint Chocolate Chip Buttercream
Ruby Chocolate Ganache

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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