Desserts

Pastry Cream – Also Known as Crème Pâtissière ✨

Name: Pastry Cream – Also Known as Crème Pâtissière ✨
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 cups whole milk; 1 vanilla bean, optional; ¼ cup cornstarch; ½ cup granulated sugar; pinch of salt; 2 large egg yolks; 1 large egg (alternatively, replace it with 2 egg yolks); 1 tsp vanilla; 4 tbsp butter, cold

This pastry cream is an absolute delight—rich, creamy, and surprisingly easy to make with ingredients you probably already have on hand.

5.0 (1)

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

Serves

Style

💰 Everyday

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This pastry cream is an absolute delight! It's rich, creamy, and surprisingly easy to make. Chances are, you already have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. With just a few steps, you can create a luscious, velvety cream that's perfect for filling tarts, eclairs, and cakes. It's so delicious, I can't believe I didn't share this recipe sooner!

In fact, I wasn't planning on posting this recipe at all until my friend Alana stopped by with a box of frozen mini-tart shells. Now, anyone who knows me knows I'm all about making pastries from scratch. But Alana made a great point—sometimes people want to enjoy a fancy dessert without getting covered in flour or spending hours in the kitchen. Not everyone has the time (or desire) to bake everything from scratch, and that's okay!

With that in mind, I decided it was time to share this versatile pastry cream recipe that works for everyone—whether you're making your own pastry shells or using store-bought ones. The creamy filling will taste amazing no matter what, and you'll be able to enjoy a beautiful dessert in no time. So, if you're looking for a simple but impressive treat, this is it!

NOTE: this will work with 12 mini tart shells. Alternatively, you can make a large tart shell from scratch (recipe for the shell could be found here.) Make sure your baked shells are fully cool before you fill them with your pastry cream (after it sat in the fridge for at least 2 hours.) Top with fruit of choice and brush with apple jelly, slightly heated up so it spreads better.

Ingredients

Servings:

2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, optional
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg (alternatively, replace it with 2 egg yolks)
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp butter, cold

Instructions

1
Split the vanilla bean in half, if using, scoop out the seeds with a butter knife, and add them to the milk. Warm the milk in a saucepan until steaming and small bubbles are just starting to form. It shouldn't boil.
2
In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Then add the egg yolks and egg and whisk them into a thick pale paste for about 4–5 minutes. Make sure the ingredients are well combined.
3
Carefully ladle the hot milk a bit at a time into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. It's important to add the milk slowly while whisking non-stop; otherwise, your eggs will scramble. Gradual heat tempering is key. Alternate between adding more milk and whisking the custard.
4
Pour everything back into the saucepan you used to heat the milk and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and being careful to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan; this should take about 3–5 minutes. When large bubbles start to appear and the custard has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat.
5
Strain the pastry cream into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Add the butter and vanilla and gently whisk, stir, or fold until the butter is melted and combined.
6
Allow the pastry cream to cool for about 5 minutes. Then cover it with plastic wrap pressed directly against its surface to prevent a skin from forming on top. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours and up to a couple of days.
7
Before using, whisk aggressively (or even beat with a mixer) until the custard is smooth and luscious, then proceed with filling your pastries of choice.

FAQ

Can you make pastry cream ahead of time and how do you store it?+

Yes! Pastry cream keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months, though the texture may be slightly less creamy after thawing.

What should you do if your pastry cream is lumpy?+

Lumps usually happen from cooking the eggs too quickly or adding cold milk to hot eggs. Strain the warm cream through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps, then whisk in the cold butter to smooth it out—don't skip this step as the butter helps create a silky texture.

Can you use cornstarch instead of flour or make pastry cream without eggs?+

This recipe already uses cornstarch as the thickener, which works great! For egg-free versions, you'd need to use a different method entirely (like a cornstarch slurry or pastry cream powder), so sticking with the eggs here will give you the best, silkiest results.

How do you use pastry cream and what desserts is it best for?+

Pastry cream is perfect for filling éclairs, cream puffs, layer cakes, and tarts—anywhere you want a rich, creamy filling that holds its shape. You can also fold whipped cream into cooled pastry cream to make a lighter mousse filling for cakes and pastries.