Classic Pastry Cream Recipe (For Desserts, Cakes, Tarts and More!)

Pastry cream in a bowl with a ladyfinger cookie.

5 from 1 vote

Classic Pastry Cream Recipe (For Desserts, Cakes, Tarts and More!)

Everyone who bakes, even occasionally, should have their preferred recipe for pastry cream. It’s one of those decadent classics that’s never out of fashion, always in season, and has TONES of ways to use it.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Resting time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Svi

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk , 500 grams
½ cup sugar , 100 grams
6 egg yolks
⅓ cup corn starch
1 vanilla pod or vanilla extract or other flavoring of your choice

Instructions

Before you start: Put a ceramic/glass dish in the fridge or in the freezer a few hours before making the pastry cream. We'll use it to cool pastry cream fast once it's cooked to prevent overcooking. If you have enough ice in the freezer feel free to skip this step.
In a large bowl beat egg yolks with sugar until well combined. Add cornstarch, mix until smooth.
Add milk to a pot.
Open the vanilla pod in half and using a small knife scrape out all the seeds. Add the pod and the seeds to the pot with milk. Start heating on low heat.
The milk should become very hot but not boiling. You know it's ready when small bubbles start to form around the edge of the pot. It should feel very hot, almost burning when you quickly dip your finger.
Using a sieve, strain the hot milk into the egg yolk mix. Whisk continuously until creamy and foamy.
Pour the mixture back into the pot and start cooking it on medium or medium-high heat whisking continuously.
As soon as the mixture starts to thicken immediately remove the pot from the heat and continue to beat it with the whisk until smooth. It will take anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes for the cream to cook.
Once smooth and silky, cool it immediately by transfering into a cold ceramic/glass dish (that you previously kept in the fridge/freezer for 2 hours) or in a bowl placed over another bowl filled with ice. Continue whisking for 2 minutes to help the cream cool further.
Cover the dish with a plastic wrap in direct contact with pastry cream. This prevents the formation of the crust. Place the dish in the fridge for minimum 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to use remove the plastic film and energetically beat it with a whisk. You'll see how silky, velvety, and luscious it becomes.

Notes

You can make pastry cream with half milk half whipping for richer taste.

Instead of vanilla you can flavor pastry cream with lemon or orange zest.

Nutrition