This creme patisserie recipe creates a luscious pastry cream, perfect for filling cakes or serving on the side with your desserts
Creme patisserie is the French (and more beautiful!) way of saying pastry cream. You will also hear it described by its abbreviated name – creme pat!
This creme patisserie recipe produces a delicious creamy custard that is thickened with flour and uses the traditional vanilla flavoring.
How to use creme patissiere
There are so many ways to enjoy this luxurious treat! The most simple is to serve it alongside any dessert as a replacement for cream or ice cream.
But you can also use creme patissiere as a filling for desserts like donuts, eclairs, cream puffs, beignets, or cream horns, or to top a strawberry tart.
How to flavor creme patissiere
Whilst vanilla may be the classic flavoring for pastry cream, there are plenty of other options you can try! All you need to do is start with the basic recipe and add something a little extra.
Here are some ideas:
Chocolate – just add a couple of tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the flour
Coffee – simply stir in espresso, to taste, or try instant coffee granules
Lemon – juice and zest half a lemon and add it to the creme patissiere with the vanilla
Almond or coconut – add half a teaspoon of whichever extract you prefer
Strawberry – just process enough strawberries to create 1/3 cup of puree and stir in with the vanilla
Tips for perfect creme patissiere
- Whisk your pastry cream just before you serve it for the silkiest, smoothest results
- For a lighter pastry cream, whisk heavy cream with a little sugar until soft and fluffy, then fold it in to your creme patissiere
- Store leftover creme patissiere in the fridge with a damp piece of greaseproof paper pressed on to the surface to stop a skin from forming
- Beat refrigerated creme patissiere with a wooden spoon before serving to loosen it up
Creme Patissiere Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk
- 3 large Egg Yolk
- 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 3 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Bring the milk to a gentle boil over a medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a small bowl.
- Add the flour and mix until completely smooth.
- Add approximately 1/4 cup of warm milk to thin the mixture.
- When the rest of the milk starts to boil, add it to the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously.
- Return it to the saucepan, and heat it over a high heat. Cook for around 1 minute until the creme patissiere thickens and boils, stirring constantly.
- Lower the heat to medium and cook for around 2 minutes, continuing to whisk, until the cream loosens up.
- Pour into a bowl and stir in vanilla.
- Allow to cool, with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the creme patissiere to stop a skin forming.