Homemade Pastry Cream
This homemade pastry cream is silky, rich and perfectly smooth with a delicate vanilla flavor in every spoonful.
Made with egg yolks, milk, cream and cornstarch, this classic French pastry cream is the ultimate dessert filling for tarts, cream puffs, éclairs, cakes and more. Just like my pistachio pastry cream, it comes together with simple ingredients and creates a luxurious custard that instantly elevates any dessert.
Pastry cream might sound fancy, but it's actually one of the most useful and approachable dessert basics to master- quite like my olive oil caramel sauce. Once you make it from scratch, you'll never want to go back to store-bought fillings again. The texture is incredibly creamy, the flavor is rich and vanilla-forward, and it works in everything from fruit tarts to layered cakes.
What I love most about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can keep it classic vanilla, or use it as a base for chocolate, coffee, citrus or other flavored pastry creams.
Quick Look: Homemade Pastry Cream
- 🔪 Prep time: 10 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook time: 10 minutes
- 👪 Servings: About 2 cups
- 📋 Main ingredients: Egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, milk, heavy cream and vanilla.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Whisk yolks and sugar → warm milk mixture → cook until thickened → strain and cool.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Use in tarts, éclairs, cream puffs, cakes, trifles or as a dessert filling- like my date caramel sauce.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It has a silky smooth and ultra creamy texture and comes together with simple pantry ingredients.
- Just like my pecan praline topping, it is perfect for cakes, tarts, pastries and desserts.
- It is easy to customize with different flavors and is much richer and fresher than store-bought fillings.
Recipe Ingredients
Egg yolks: For that rich, custardy base that gives the pastry cream that beautiful yellowish hue.
Heavy cream + whole milk: To create that rich, creamy concoction.
Vanilla: For the sweet aroma. You can add a pinch of orange zest too to brighten up the cream.
Sugar: For the sweetness.
Butter: Salted butter works best here.
Cornstarch: To thicken up the pastry cream.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract for a more intense vanilla flavor.
- Swap heavy cream for all milk if you want a lighter pastry cream.
- Stir in melted chocolate after cooking for chocolate pastry cream.
- Use an infused or flavored sugar like my strawberry sugar to create another flavored pastry cream.
- You can also add a dash of sea salt to intensify the flavors of the cream. I did this when I made my apple cider caramel sauce too.
How to Make Homemade Pastry Cream
Step 1: In a jar, combine egg yolks and sugar and whisk.
Step 2: Once the mixture looks light and creamy, add the cornstarch and mix again.
Step 3: In a saucepan, warm up the milk and cream.
Step 4: Carefully pour in the egg yolk mixture and cook on low while whisking continuously.
Step 5: Take off heat once the mixture has thickened, and let it cool. Pass through a sieve to remove any clumps.
Step 6: Add vanilla extract and whip the pastry cream well before using.
💭Top Tip
Whisk constantly once the mixture is on the stove. Pastry cream thickens quickly, and continuous whisking prevents lumps and keeps the texture perfectly smooth.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Warm up the milk and cream over low heat. Don't boil it.
- Tempering the egg mixture slowly helps prevent scrambled eggs, so keep whisking as you cook.
- Cook the pastry cream until it thickens noticeably and coats the back of a spoon.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface while cooling to prevent a skin from forming.
- Add a dash of chai concentrate or gingerbread syrup to the mixture towards the end, after you have taken it off heat to lend a warm flavor to the pastry cream- perfect to use for fall desserts.
How to Use Homemade Pastry Cream
Your homemade pastry cream is incredibly versatile! You can use it as a filling for your eclairs, choux pastries, profiteroles and cream puffs, but that's not just it. The cream also makes for an excellent filling for your tarts and tastes even better when topped with a textured element like my Feuilletine flakes or crispy coconut curds.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface. It should stay fresh for 3-4 days.
Lumps usually happen from uneven heating or not whisking enough. Straining the cream through a sieve will smooth it out.
It's best enjoyed fresh or refrigerated. Freezing can change the texture and make it grainy.
More Dessert Essentials
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this homemade pastry cream or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and light in color.
- Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
- In a saucepan, gently warm the milk and heavy cream over medium heat. Add the vanilla extract.
- Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the pastry cream thickens.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Pass the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any lumps.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and let the pastry cream cool completely before using.
Notes
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Use vanilla bean for a more intense vanilla flavor.
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Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
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Pastry cream thickens more as it cools.
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Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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This recipe is perfect for tarts, éclairs, cream puffs and cake fillings.
