Luscious vanilla Pastry Cream makes a decadent filling for French pastries, and is a fantastic accompaniment to fresh berries and stone fruit.
This pastry cream recipe (crème pâtissière) was one of the first recipes I learned in pastry school. We used it to fill tarts, cream puffs, donuts, and cakes. This is my favorite pastry cream recipe of all time, with the perfect texture and level of sweetness. The technique requires precise timing, but read through the recipe before starting, and you’ll be fine!
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Why Make This Pastry Cream
- Sweet vanilla flavor in a creamy custard
- A great base for so many delicious desserts like our favorite French Strawberry Tart
- This homemade pastry cream is better than many store-bought and pastry shop versions!
Pastry Cream Recipe Ingredients
- Milk: 2% milk or whole milk will both work in this recipe.
- Sugar: Regular, granulated sugar works best here.
- Vanilla Bean: Vanilla beans lend such fantastic flavor, and I love seeing the tiny specks of vanilla seeds in the custard. But if you don’t have access to a vanilla bean, replace with ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Egg Yolks: I generally use large-sized eggs.
- Cornstarch: Potato starch is an alternative here.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted, either works! You can also leave this out if you prefer.
How to Make Pastry Cream
- Use a small paring knife to slit open the vanilla bean half. Open the bean and press flat with your knife, scraping the vanilla bean seeds onto your knife edge. Add to 3 tablespoons sugar, and use your fingers to break up the seeds and combine with the sugar.
2. Put the vanilla sugar, empty vanilla bean pod, and 1 cup milk into a saucepan. Heat over medium, whisking to dissolve the sugar.
3. Meanwhile, put 4 egg yolks in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and set to medium speed. Slowly add 3 tablespoons sugar, then whip together on high speed. Scrape down the mixer bowl as needed. When egg mixture gets to ribbon stage and lightens (about 3-4 minutes), stop whipping.
4. Test for ribbon stage by stopping the mixer and pulling up the whisk attachment. Remove the attachment, dip it into the mixture, then drizzle it over the bowl to see if it falls from the attachment in ribbons.
5. Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into ⅓ cup of milk until smooth. Set aside.
6. When milk in the saucepan has just come to a low boil (watch carefully), add the cold milk mixture to the stand mixer and combine on low.
7. Once it is well combined, slowly pour in the hot milk with mixer on low. As soon as it is incorporated, turn off mixer and pour the entire mixture back into your saucepan.
8. Over low heat, stir with a whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil again and starts to thicken (about 2 minutes). Then whisk for another 2 minutes over low heat to make sure any raw taste from the cornstarch is gone. Whisk aggressively if it looks like the mixture isn’t coming together smoothly.
9. Whisk in 1 teaspoon butter, then turn off the heat. Remove the vanilla bean.
10. Scrape pastry cream into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly over the top. When cool, put in the refrigerator to store.
Pastry Cream Recipe Tips
This recipe fills a 9-inch tart shell. You can easily double or triple this recipe if you need to make a larger amount.
Timing in this recipe is very important. Don’t be tempted to whip the egg yolks and sugar together in advance, because the sugar can begin the curdle the yolks if it sits and is not used right away.
When you add the hot milk to your mixer bowl, you are tempering your eggs. This should be done slowly, while keeping the egg mixture moving constantly while you are adding the milk. That will ensure you don’t cook the eggs and end up with cooked egg bits in your custard.
Got an extra vanilla bean? Use it to make Vanilla Simple Syrup or Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée.
How to Use Vanilla Pastry Cream
My favorite thing to make with pastry cream is a simple fruit tart with a baked crust, layer of pastry cream, and topping of fresh fruit or berries. Try this Tarte aux Fraises for example. But you can also use pastry cream as a cake filling or as a filling for cream puffs or eclairs. Try it as a layer in these Strawberry Parfaits or as a filling in these Sweet Mango Crepes. You can also use it with puff pastry dough to make a mille-feuille or combine it with whipped cream to make crème diplomat.
How to Store Pastry Cream
Store pastry cream in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. But after 3 days, my pastry school teacher always recommended that it only be used in pastries in which the pastry cream will be baked. Whisk it before using to loosen it up after it’s been chilled in a container.
Can you freeze pastry cream?
Most resources will tell you that freezing pastry cream is a bad idea, but I have tried it and it can be done! Defrost it first in the refrigerator. It will likely separate a little.
Put it all into a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat while whisking vigorously. That was all I needed to bring my creme pat back to life, but if it is still not coming together, try this trick from Philosophy of Yum and add a tablespoon of warm milk to it while you are whisking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pastry cream the same as custard?
Pastry cream is a type of custard, but it is not the only kind of custard. Pastry cream uses flour or cornstarch to thicken and stabilize it so that it is very hard to curdle. Custards that do not include starch include crème brûlée, pot de crème, and crème anglaise.
Other Delicious French Pastries
Inspired to take on some other French pastries? Here are some of my favorites:
If you try this Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
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Vanilla Pastry Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ vanilla bean
- 6 tablespoons sugar divided
- 1 ⅓ cups milk divided (330 ml total)
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon butter
Instructions
- Use a small paring knife to slit open the vanilla bean half.
- Open the bean and press flat with your knife, scraping the vanilla bean seeds onto your knife edge.
- Add to 3 tablespoons sugar, and use your fingers to break up the seeds and combine with the sugar.
- Put the vanilla sugar, empty vanilla bean pod, and 1 cup milk into a saucepan.
- Heat over medium, whisking to dissolve the sugar.
- Meanwhile, put egg yolks in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and set to medium speed.
- Slowly add 3 tablespoons sugar, then whip together on high speed. Scrape down the mixer bowl as needed.
- When egg mixture gets to ribbon stage and lightens (about 3-4 minutes), stop whipping.
- Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch into the remaining ⅓ cup of milk until smooth. Set aside.
- When milk in the saucepan has just come to a low boil (watch carefully), add the cold milk mixture to the stand mixer and combine on low.
- Once it is well combined, slowly pour in the hot milk with mixer on low. As soon as it is incorporated, turn off mixer and pour the entire mixture back into your saucepan.
- Over low heat, stir with a whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil again and starts to thicken (about 2 minutes).
- Then whisk for another 2 minutes over low heat to make sure any raw taste from the cornstarch is gone. Whisk aggressively if it looks like the mixture isn’t coming together smoothly.
- Whisk in butter, then turn off the heat. Remove the vanilla bean.
- Scrape pastry cream into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly over the top. When cool, put in the refrigerator to store.
Notes
Pastry cream will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator if you are going to use it without baking it. If you are using it in a baked recipe, it will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator. Expert Tips:
This recipe fills a 9-inch tart shell. You can easily double or triple this recipe if you need to make a larger amount. Timing in this recipe is very important. Don’t be tempted to whip the egg yolks and sugar together in advance, because the sugar can begin the curdle the yolks if it sits and is not used right away. When you add the hot milk to your mixer bowl, you are tempering your eggs. This should be done slowly, while keeping the egg mixture moving constantly while you are adding the milk. That will ensure you don’t cook the eggs and end up with cooked egg bits in your custard. If the pastry cream begins to boil and your heat is too high, or you aren’t stirring fast enough, your pastry cream may lump. Stir vigorously, or pass the custard through a fine-mesh sieve. You can also use this technique if your crème pat gets lumpy after it has cooled (or after it has been stored in the refrigerator). Put it into a bowl and whisk it vigorously or pass through the fine-mesh strainer.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this recipe for crème pâtissière, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because I’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
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