Try my Pastry Cream Recipe at home for an easy, creamy Crème Pâtissière—perfect for filling cakes, cream puffs, eclairs, and more!
- ½ vanilla pod
- 2 cups (16 fl oz/480 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) butter, cubed
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Cut the vanilla pod length ways and scrape out the seeds.
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In a medium saucepan, combine milk, vanilla pod and seeds, and ¼ (2 oz/58 g) of sugar. Place over medium-low heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining ¼ (2 oz/58 g) of sugar.
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Temper eggs: while whisking constantly, slowly pour ⅓ of the hot milk mixture into the egg-yolk mixture, until it has been incorporated. Pour mixture back into the saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, for roughly 3-4 minutes, until thickened.
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Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the vanilla pod and any lumps.
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Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent skin from forming and allow it to cool down to room temperature then store in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 3 days before serving. Use to fill cream puffs, profiteroles, or pastry tarts.
- Use Full-Fat Dairy or Creamy Non-Dairy Milk: For the best flavor and texture, use full-fat dairy milk or a rich non-dairy milk. Fat is key to achieving the ideal custard consistency.
- Choose Cornstarch Over Flour: While flour is traditionally used to thicken pastry cream, starch works just as well and is gluten-free, giving your cream a smoother texture.
- Use Large Eggs: Always use 3 large egg yolks at room temperature for the best results in creating a rich, thick custard.
- Substitute with Vanilla Bean Paste: If you don’t have a vanilla pod, vanilla bean paste works perfectly as it contains seeds, giving you that same great flavor and specks.
- Flavor Your Sugar with the Spent Vanilla Pod: After using the vanilla pod, dry it out and place it in a pot of sugar to infuse it with a lovely vanilla flavor. It can also be reused in future custard recipes!