Pastry cream, also known as crème pâtissière, is a rich and creamy custard often used as a filling in various pastries, pies, and tarts. It is made with milk, sugar, eggs, flour, and vanilla and is thickened by cooking the mixture until it reaches a custard-like consistency. Pastry cream can be flavored with various ingredients such as chocolate, fruit, or nuts to create a variety of different desserts. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting, this comprehensive guide will provide you with the knowledge and inspiration to create delicious pastry cream-filled treats that will impress your friends and family.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
PASTRY CREAM, CREME PATISSERIE
This basic pastry cream recipe is the base for filling many pastries, pies, cakes, and tarts. Pastry cream can be flavored in a variety of ways, is an incredibly versatile dessert component, and is also the base for making sweet souffles!
Provided by Bettie
Categories All Recipes
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Measure out all of the ingredients. Cut the butter into small pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks (110 grams, 6 large) with the sugar (100 grams, ½ cup), cornstarch (30 grams, ¼ cup), and salt (1 gram, ¼ teaspoon) with a whisk until foamy and about double in size. This will ensure a smooth pastry cream.
- In a saucepan, heat the milk (568 grams, 2 ½ cups) until it starts to boil.
- Temper the egg yolks by slowly pouring about half of the milk into the egg/cornstarch mixture while whisking continuously. It can be helpful to nestle the mixing bowl in a damp kitchen towel to stabilize the bowl while you whisk and pour.
- Pour the milk/egg mixture back into the pot with the remainder of the milk and cook over low heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens and starts rapidly bubbling. Do not rush this process.
- Pour the hot pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve.
- If you are adding any chocolate or other flavorings, they can be whisked in at this point. Add the butter (28 grams, 2 tablespoons) and vanilla (1 ½ teaspoons) and whisk in.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the pastry cream and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Pastry cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 0 calories
PASTRY CREAM FOR PIES
A thick egg custard that has many uses. Spread this in a baked pie shell and cover with fresh fruit, pipe it into doughnuts, or mix it with whipped cream for eclairs or cream puffs.
Provided by Jackie Smith
Categories Desserts Specialty Dessert Recipes Fruit Pizza Recipes
Time 1h
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a small saucepan, Heat milk to boiling point and remove from the heat.
- In a heatproof mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until smooth. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until pale yellow. Beat in the flour.
- Pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream, beating constantly. When all the milk has been added, place the bowl over (not in) a pan of boiling water, or pour the mixture into the top of a double boiler. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook 2 minutes more, then remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 115 calories, Carbohydrate 17.3 g, Cholesterol 83.1 mg, Fat 3.7 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 2.4 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 25.9 mg, Sugar 14.2 g
PASTRY CREAM
Classic pastry cream, or creme patissiere, is a vanilla custard thickened with egg yolks and cornstarch. You can fill fluffy doughnuts, eclairs or other baked goods with this sweet cream or simply enjoy it on its own. This recipe does take some finesse, but the final product is completely worth the effort.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 2h25m
Yield about 2 1/2 cups
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Stir together the milk, salt, vanilla bean and seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar has just dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Continue to whisk until smooth. (This is called tempering, and it will prevent the yolks from scrambling.) Continue whisking and adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until completely combined and smooth.
- Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla bean.
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Before serving, whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.
HOW TO MAKE PASTRY CREAM (CRèME PâTISSIèRE RECIPE)
Pastry cream-made by heating milk, sugar, eggs, starch, and flavoring together-is a rich, thick, and creamy custard that's a versatile workhorse in the baker's kitchen.
Provided by Kristina Razon
Categories Puddings and Custards
Time 3h35m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a 2-quart stainless steel saucier, combine milk and scraped vanilla bean along with its seeds. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover to prevent evaporation, and let steep for 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, set up an ice bath by partially filling it with a combination of cold water and ice. Set aside.
- In a medium heatproof mixing bowl set on top of a dampened towel (this serves as a stable base), stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks until mixture is pale yellow, smooth, and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Uncover infused milk and remove vanilla bean (see note). While whisking continuously, slowly pour milk into egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, until all of it has been added.
- Return the mixture to the same saucier. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until pastry cream begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Once it thickens, continue to whisk, pausing every few seconds to check for bubbles, about 1 minute. When it begins to bubble, set a timer and continue whisking for 1 minute. This step is important to neutralize a starch-dissolving protein found in egg yolks.
- Off-heat, whisk in butter until melted and thoroughly combined. Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof medium bowl. Immediately place plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer bowl to prepared ice bath to chill for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
- When ready to use the pastry cream, whisk until smooth.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 65 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Cholesterol 43 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Sodium 28 mg, Sugar 7 g, Fat 3 g, ServingSize Makes 2 1/2 cups, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
SOUR CREAM PASTRY
Another old family recipe. Very easy to handle, this dough never gets tough, even if you re-roll it. It was the first I learned. Really good in savory pies. Hint: reroll scraps, cut into 2" squares, add a bit of jam, fold over and bake 10-12 minutes. UPDATE 7/10/2010 In response to a reviewer: For best results, you must sift the flour before measuring, chill the shortening well, use full fat sour cream and chill the dough as directed.
Provided by Deb Wolf
Categories Breads
Time 10m
Yield 2 pie crusts, 8-16 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Pulse flour, salt and baking powder in food processor.
- Add shortening. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Stir together sour cream and egg; pour all at once into flour and pulse until it just comes together.
- Dump out onto wax paper. Gather into a disk, wrap in the wax paper and chill at least 20 minutes.
- Cut into two pieces, rewrap one and return it to the refrigerator.
- Roll on a lightly floured surface.
- Fill and bake according to filling recipe.
NO-FUSS PASTRY CREAM
Use this rich vanilla custard to fill our Boston Cream Donuts, Classic Cream Puffs, or Star Tart.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Time 15m
Yield Makes about 2 1/2 cups
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks in a glass measuring cup; add to saucepan along with butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil 1 minute, still whisking; then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of cream to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Just before using, whisk until smooth.
CREAM CHEESE PASTRY
Make and share this Cream Cheese Pastry recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Diana Adcock
Categories Pie
Time 5m
Yield 2 crusts
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- In a large bowl cream together cream cheese and butter.
- slowly sift in flour and salt.
- Shape into 2 balls, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight (I chill overnight) in the fridge.
- Roll out on a floured board and use as you will.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1664.6, Fat 132.8, SaturatedFat 83.4, Cholesterol 368.8, Sodium 1573.3, Carbohydrate 98.5, Fiber 3.4, Sugar 0.6, Protein 22.4
CREAM CHEESE PASTRY DOUGH
For a novice baker, this is the most forgiving dough to work with. The cream cheese allows this pastry some elasticity but still produces tender and flaky results.From the book "Mad Hungry," by Lucinda Scala Quinn (Artisan Books).
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking
Yield Makes 10 pocket pies or 1 double-crusted 10-inch pie
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Process the butter, cream cheese, and cream in a food processor, electric mixer, or by hand to thoroughly combine.
- Add the flour and salt. Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.
- Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one dough disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Applying some pressure with the rolling pin, roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over, and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Organic milk, butter, and eggs are always a good choice.
- Make sure your milk and butter are cold before you start cooking. This will help the custard thicken properly.
- Cook the pastry cream slowly over medium heat, stirring constantly. This will prevent it from curdling.
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve before using it. This will remove any lumps.
- Allow the pastry cream to cool completely before using it. This will help it set properly.
Conclusion:
Pastry cream is a versatile and delicious dessert that can be used in a variety of pies, tarts, and other pastries. With a few simple tips, you can easily make a smooth, creamy, and flavorful pastry cream that will impress your friends and family. So next time you're looking for a special dessert, give pastry cream a try!
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