Crème Pâtissière is also known as Pastry cream, or Creme Pat for short. A versatile rich and creamy custard. It is one of the most basic and traditional French Pâtissèrie recipes and is an essential part of any keen baker's repertoire.
Consisting of eggs, milk, sugar, flour (or cornflour), and vanilla, this rich creamy custard can be used to fill pastries, choux buns, meringues, tarts, and cakes
There are many recipes for Crème Pâtissière, but this is my go-to recipe. Its a hybrid of a recipe from Leiths Baking Bible and one I developed it a while back when working on Baked and Delicious, a Part-Work for Eagle Moss.
Many recipes now use cornflour or a mixture of flour and cornflour, but here I use all plain flour to produce a thick cream, enough to support the weight of a cake when used as a cake filling.
The flour in the mixture allows it to boil without curdling but it is necessary to stir continuously to avoid lumps. It produces a thick custard ideal for use as a filling in cakes.
This basic Crème Pâtissière is usually flavoured with vanilla, but can be also be made in many flavours (see below).
Other Pastry Creams
It can also serve as the base of several more advanced classic French pastry creams:
Add butter and it becomes an enriched pastry cream, add a lot of butter it becomes Crème Mousseline. Combining it with whisked egg whites and gelatine you create Crème Chiboust.
Add whipped cream to Crème Pâtissière and you have Crème Légère, add butter and cream and you have Crème Madame and add cream and stablise with gelatine and you have Crème Diplomat.
Ingredients
Scroll down for quantities and full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
- Milk - Opt for full cream milk for the best flavour and texture. This is not the place for skimmed milk or even semi as it compromise the richness of the custard.
- Egg Yolks - The eggs act as a thickening agent and add flavour. Using only egg yolks as opposed to whole eggs gives a fuller flavour, a richer colour, and more creamy structure. Use medium eggs for this recipe, preferably free range.
- Caster Sugar - I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking and you can use it here too. It's the same as normal caster sugar, but it's unrefined. It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones. Besides sweetness, sugar helps slow down egg coagulation, allowing the pastry cream to be cooked sufficiently with a lower risk that the yolks curdle
- Plain Flour (US= All purpose) - Starch is the key thickening agent in pastry cream, ensuring a smooth and velvety consistency. Flour, cornflour, or a mix of the two are used. I found that flour produced a thicker, more stable Crème Pâtissière, but it is essential to fully cook the custard to avoid any undesirable "floury" taste. I do sometimes use cornflour (US=Cornstarch) see my Bavarian slice recipe if you would prefer to use cornflour
- Vanilla - Vanilla is the traditional flavour for Crème Pâtissière and gives that quintessential French pastry taste.Use a good quality extract or paste for ease. Alternatively the milk can be infused with a vanilla pod before making the pastry cream.
- Butter - (optional) the addition of butter can be added for a richer creamier finish.
How to make Crème Pâtissière Step by Step
Step 1
Heat the milk until just simmering, then whisk together the sugar and egg yolks.
Step 2
Whisk in the flour to form a smooth mixture.
Step 3
Gradually whisk in half the hot milk into the egg mixture. This is called tempering.
Step 4
Then whisk the egg and milk mixture into the milk in the pan.
The process of tempering involves slowly introducing the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking well to prevent the eggs from cooking and forming lumps. This gradual addition ensures a smooth and creamy texture rather than a curdled mess.
Step 5
Cook the Crème Pâtissière over low heat, stirring or constantly whisking until it comes to a boil, then cook for another minute or so to cook out the flour and eggs.
step 6
Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, (if using), until melted and combined with the Crème Pâtissière. Then pass through a sieve into a clean bowl ( optional ).
Egg yolks contain an enzyme called amylase, which can slowly break down the starch molecules and transform thick pastry cream into a thin runny sauce. It is therefore essential to fully cook out the Crème Pâtissière once the custard is returned to the pan.
Heating the egg-rich custard to near boiling may sound like a recipe for disaster. However, the milk dilutes the egg proteins, so they're farther apart and less likely to rapidly and tightly bond. Both the starch and the sugar help prevent the egg proteins from bonding into clumps.
This means you can safely bring the pastry cream to a gently boil while whisking or stirring vigerously for at least a minute without it overcooking. This will also ensure you do not end up with an uncooked floury after-taste to your pastry cream and stabilise the cream. It is essential to make sure you keep the mixture continuously moving while you cook it out to prevent it from becoming lumpy.
Once you notice large bubbles starting to puff on top of the pastry cream, stir or whisk vigorously. At this point, I switch from a hand whisk to a wooden spoon so that I can get into all the areas of the base and side of the pan where it thickens first. Stir or whisk constantly, and you won't go wrong. This is not the time to multitask!
If adding butter, cut into small cubes and mix it in a little bit at a time whisking until fully incorporated.
If desired once the Crème Pâtissière is cooked, you can pour it through a thin mesh sieve to remove any potential lumps.
Step 7
Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
Step 8
Cover with dampened parchment and cool quickly. Then refrigerate for 2 hours before using as required.
Most recipes suggest covering closely with cling wrap but I do not like the idea of plastic being in close contact with hot foods. I am also trying to reduce single use plastic, so I cover with dampened baking parchment to prevent a skin from forming. To ensure close contact dampen the parchment with water first then scrunch up. Open out again, shake off excess water and press onto the surface of the custard.
Once the Cream is cooked, you will want it to cool down as quickly as possible. Place the bowl into a larger bowl of iced water then place in the fridge to cool down completely for at least 2 hours.
After chilling, whip by hand until smooth and creamy. Use as required.
Top Tips
- Avoid boiling the milk, bring it to a gentle simmer.
- To avoid lumps , make sure the flour is whisked well with the egg yolks and sugar before adding the milk .
- Whisk quickly and pour slowly when adding the hot milk to the egg mixture.
- Whisk or stir vigorously and continuously while the pastry cream is cooking. Make sure you get into all the areas of the base and side of the pan where it thickens first.
- Don't be tempted to increase the heat to speed up the process. Work with low heat and take your time.
- Strain the pastry cream though a sieve for a smooth texture.
- After chilling, whisk by hand until smooth and creamy.
What went wrong?
The Crème Pâtissière is lumpy
The flour was not mixed with the egg yolks until smooth. The mixture was not stirred enough once it started to thicken.
To correct pass through a sieve or blitz briefly in a food processor.
The Crème Pâtissière is too thick
To correct add a little bit more milk to the pan and whisk really well to loosen the cream and return to the boil.
The Crème Pâtissière is too thin
The creme pat was not brought to the boil,.
To correct return to the pan and return to the boil whilst stirring constantly. If you find it is still too thin, you can mix a little bit of cornflour, about 1 tablespoon, with a splash of milk, in a separate bowl, then add it to the cream away from the heat. Whisk well, then return to the heat and cook, stirring until the cream thickens. Repeat if needed.
Remember the pastry cream will thicken when it cools down, so don't worry about a slightly loose cream before it goes in the fridge.
The Crème Pâtissière thins on standing
The cream was not sufficiently cooked to denature the enzyme found in egg yolks which breaks down the starch.
Discard the mixture. There is no rescue for this!!
How long will it keep?
Refrigerate for up to three days.
Freezing is not recommended.
Variations
- While a classic Crème Pâtissière has vanilla added, you can also make a large variety of flavoured pastry cream.
- Infuse the milk to add flavour - try spices, teas, herbs, coffee, ginger, and citrus zests. Combine the milk and flavouring ingredients in a pot, bring the mixture to a bare simmer, then let it steep until the milk is flavoured (the time require will vary depending on the ingredient). Strain if require. Reheat milk if required.
- Add chocolate to the Crème Pâtissière. I use a delicious white chocolate Crème Pâtissière in my Strawberry tarts.
- Add liqueurs such as Cointreau or cassis. Or try brandy or rum to the cooled pastry cream.
- Add honey or maple syrup
- Stir in pastes such as peanut or other nut butters, tahini or chocolate hazelnut spread.
- For a diary free pastry cream you can use a dairy free Milk such as almond or soy.
📖 Recipe
Crème Pâtissèrie
Equipment
- saucepan
- heatproof mixing bowl
- balloon whisk
- wooden spoon
- baking parchment
Ingredients
- 500 ml (18floz) whole milk
- 4 large egg Yolks
- 125 g (4oz) caster sugar
- 50 g (2oz) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 25 g (1oz) butter (optional)
Instructions
- Pour 500ml milk into a saucepan. Heat gently and allow to come almost to the boil. Set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl whisk 4 egg yolks and 125g sugar together until pale, then whisk in 50g plain flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour half of the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture whisking all of the time. Then pour the egg/milk mixture slowly back into the pan, continuing to stir all of the time.
- Return to a low heat and cook whilst stirring constantly until the mixture boils and bubbles puff up though the custard, continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Add 25g butter if using and stir until it has melted and combined with the custard. Then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour the custard into a clean bowl (passing it through a sieve if necessary).
- Cover with a crumpled piece of dampened baking parchment ensuring that it is in direct contact with the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool. Then chill for 2 hours. Whisk to loosen and use as required
Notes
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- Avoid boiling the milk, bring it to a gentle simmer.
-
- To avoid lumps , make sure the flour is whisked well with the egg yolks and sugar before adding the milk .
-
- Whisk quickly and pour slowly when adding the hot milk to the egg mixture.
-
- Whisk or stir vigorously and continuously while the pastry cream is cooking. Don't forget to go all the way to the bottom of the pan and around the edges - these are the two areas that will start to thicken first.
-
- Don't be tempted to increase the heat to speed up the process. Work with low heat and take your time.
-
- Strain the pastry cream for a smooth texture.
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- After chilling, whisk by hand until smooth and creamy.
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