How to Make Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is pastry cream made of? ›

At its most basic, pastry cream is a combination of milk, eggs, and starch that are cooked together to create a rich and thick custard that's a workhorse in the baker's kitchen.

Egg yolks – Egg yolks add richness and helps to thicken the pastry cream a little. Cornstarch – This starch helps thicken the pastry cream to the desired thickness, while also acting as a buffer to prevent the egg yolks from curdling too quickly. Using cornstarch makes this pastry cream naturally gluten free.

Once you have transferred the cooked creme patissiere to a bowl, press a damp piece of greaseproof paper, baking parchment or parchment paper on to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let the creme patissiere cool slightly then wrap the bowl tightly with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and transfer to the fridge.

If your crème pâtissière isn't thick enough, the best solution is to let it cook for longer. Cornstarch should only be added when the crème pâtissière is boiling, while flour is not recommended at all.

The custard is ready when you can draw a clean line through it on the back of a spoon, using your finger. Strain into a clean jug and serve hot or cold.

Whereas some recipes use flour instead, I prefer using cornstarch as it gives a better final taste and texture. Unsalted butter. The addition of butter makes the pastry cream even richer and creamier. It also helps it to set to the perfect texture during cooling.

Runny pastry cream most often comes from undercooking the egg yolk mixture. If you remove it from the heat too soon, the amylase in the egg yolks won't break down and will prevent the cream from fully setting. If you find your crème pâtissière is too thin, return to heat and bring to a boil over medium heat to thicken.

Pastry cream has flour or cornstarch added to it and, therefore, must come to a boil in order to cook out that starchy flavor. Because of this, pastry cream is quite a bit thicker and more pudding-like than anglaise.

If you notice lumps beginning to form in a custard, immediately pour it out of the hot pot into a bowl and pulse it with a handheld blender in five-second intervals until it is nearly smooth. This can take from 15 to 45 seconds, depending on how big the lumps are.

Like crème anglaise, crème pâtissière is made of whole milk, egg yolks and sugar. However, cornstarch or flour is added for a thicker result. If you're wondering how to turn a crème pâtissière into crème anglaise, be aware that it can be tricky. However, it's possible to turn a crème anglaise into a crème pâtissière.

What happens when you overcook pastry cream? ›

When heated, the eggs in the mixture coagulate, thickening the cream to a velvety consistency. However, if the cream is heated for too long or at too high a temperature, the eggs can become overcooked, resulting in a curdled, unpleasant texture — or even scrambled eggs in your cream.

According to McGee, cream fillings that are stiffened with a starch (ie flour) must be boiled to remove the enzyme amylase from the mix- amylase is present in egg yolks. If the mixture is not boiled then the amylase will digest the starch and over time the cream will turn from thick to thin.

“Heavy cream”, “whipping cream”, or even “double cream” will work here. This lends a rich creaminess to the finished product. If you're in a pinch, you can substitute both the milk and cream for half and half. Egg yolks.

The methodology and most of the ingredients are the same, except pastry cream incorporates flour or cornstarch and therefore needs to be boiled. This results in a much, much thicker custard. Crème anglaise on the other hand, is thickened only with egg yolks resulting in a thinner, silkier, more pourable sauce. Hi!

If you find your crème pâtissière is too thin, return to heat and bring to a boil over medium heat to thicken. (See notes above to know when the cream is boiling.)

Watch for firm peaks (8 to 9 minutes).

If you continue whipping, the cream will stiffen even more and you might notice it taking on a grainy texture. If you take your whisk out of the cream, the peaks will be completely stiff. If you whip much more beyond this stage, you'll make butter.

When heated, the eggs in the mixture coagulate, thickening the cream to a velvety consistency. However, if the cream is heated for too long or at too high a temperature, the eggs can become overcooked, resulting in a curdled, unpleasant texture — or even scrambled eggs in your cream.

Follow these simple tips to whip thickened cream into soft or firm peaks. If it starts to look grainy, you've over-whipped it - try folding in some more cream.