Crème pâtissière, or pastry cream, is a classic French custard made from milk, egg yolks, sugar, and starch. It has a rich, smooth, and creamy texture. Bakers use it as a base for traditional and modern desserts, such as éclairs, tarts, mille-feuille, and cream puffs. Its firm structure allows it to hold shape, making it essential in both professional and home kitchens.
The origins of crème pâtissière date back to 17th-century French pâtisserie, where chefs developed this custard to create reliable fillings for layered pastries and tarts. Unlike simple custards, pastry cream uses cornstarch or flour to thicken. This gives it stability for piping, layering, and assembling intricate desserts.
You can flavor it with vanilla, chocolate, coffee, or fruit purees, making it suitable for a wide range of recipes. Once cooled, it can be folded into mousses, whipped into lighter creams, or used as-is for tarts and pastries. Whether used as a filling for classic French treats or as a base for modern dessert creations, pastry cream delivers creamy richness, stability, and flavor depth, elevating simple ingredients into refined pastry masterpieces.
Unlike crèmeux, which is an ultra-smooth custard enriched with chocolate, cream, or fruit purée and often finished with gelatin, crème pâtissière relies on starch for structure. This gives it a firmer texture that supports layered desserts. In contrast, crèmeux is softer, richer, and more delicate. Chefs often use it as a decadent filling or a layered component in entremets (Pastry Cream vs Cremeux).
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Crème Pâtissière
Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy5
minutes15
minutesIngredients
500 ml milk
Vanilla
3 egg yolk
30 g starch
100 g sugar
30 g butter
Directions
- Bring the milk and vanilla to a boil.
- While the milk heats, whisk together the egg, sugar, and starch in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Gradually pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper.
- Return the mixture to the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the pastry cream thickens and comes to a boil.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a clean container and cover the surface directly with cling wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight until fully set.
- Briefly whisk the pastry cream before using to restore its smooth texture.
Recipe Video
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