A Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière) is a silky, rich custard often used as a filling for pastries, tarts, and éclairs. The secret to making a perfect pastry cream lies in balancing the richness, smooth texture, and flavor. Here’s an excellent and classic recipe:
Pastry Cream Secret Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Heat the Milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the whole milk and vanilla (if using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds and add them along with the pod) over medium heat until it’s just about to come to a simmer. Stir occasionally. Do not let it boil.
- Whisk the Egg Yolks and Sugar: While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until smooth and pale yellow. The cornstarch helps thicken the cream and makes it smooth.
- Temper the Egg Mixture: Once the milk is hot, slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This will temper the eggs, preventing them from curdling. Gradually add more hot milk until about half of it has been mixed in.
- Cook the Pastry Cream: Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Once it bubbles, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes to ensure the cornstarch is fully cooked.
- Finish the Cream: Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cold butter pieces until fully incorporated. This step gives the cream its smooth texture and richness.
- Cool and Strain (optional): For an ultra-smooth texture, you can strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps or bits of vanilla bean pod. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl.
- Chill: Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow it to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until fully chilled.
- Use: Once chilled, your pastry cream is ready to use in tarts, cakes, éclairs, or any pastry of your choice!
Secret Tips for Perfect Pastry Cream:
- Don’t rush the cooking process. Whisk constantly to avoid lumps.
- For a richer flavor, you can infuse the milk with other ingredients, such as citrus zest or cinnamon, before adding it to the egg yolks.
- Strain the pastry cream to ensure it’s perfectly smooth.
- For extra flavor depth, you can replace the vanilla extract with real vanilla bean seeds.
Enjoy your luscious, creamy pastry cream in all kinds of delicious desserts!