Indulge in the delectable world of pastry cream, a versatile culinary creation that adds a touch of elegance and richness to a myriad of desserts. Whether you prefer the classic French crème pâtissière, a luscious Italian crema pasticcera, or the American-style pastry cream, this versatile filling promises to tantalize your taste buds. From delicate fruit tarts and creamy pies to decadent éclairs and sumptuous profiteroles, pastry cream takes center stage as the heart of these beloved treats. With its smooth, velvety texture and symphony of flavors, it elevates any dessert to a new level of indulgence. This comprehensive guide will unveil the secrets behind crafting the perfect pastry cream, ensuring your culinary creations become masterpieces of flavor and delight.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
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
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
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
This is a classic pastry cream often used in bakeries and restaurants. It can be used as a filling for cakes, pies or pastries. To make a lighter filling, fold in plain whipped cream.
Provided by CHRISTINIBEANIE
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European French
Time 20m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In a heavy saucepan, stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Stir together the remaining sugar and cornstarch; then stir them into the egg until smooth. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly so the eggs don' t curdle or scorch on the bottom.
- When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla, mixing until the butter is completely blended in. Pour into a heat-proof container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled before using.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 151.3 calories, Carbohydrate 21.4 g, Cholesterol 87 mg, Fat 5.8 g, Protein 3.5 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 56.6 mg, Sugar 17.6 g
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.
CLASSIC BUTTER PIE PASTRY
This all-butter pastry makes a flavorful, flaky pie crust. It is easy to handle and bakes to be golden brown and beautiful-just like Mom's! -Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 10m
Yield pastry for one 9-inch pie.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed., Shape dough into a disk for a single-crust pie; for a double-crust pie, divide dough in 2 with 1 piece slightly larger than the other. Shape into 2 disks. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. , For a single-crust pie: Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Fill or bake according to recipe directions., For a double-crust pie: Add filling to pie. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 173 calories, Fat 12g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 31mg cholesterol, Sodium 165mg sodium, Carbohydrate 15g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.
CLASSIC PIE PASTRY
Just four ingredients are all you need to create a fabulous, flaky pie crust. The double-crust recipe should be used when making a lattice-topped pie.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 15m
Yield 1 pastry for a single- or double-crust pie (9 or 10 inches).
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., For a single crust, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9- or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Fill or bake shell according to recipe directions. , For a double crust, divide dough in two portions so one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge of plate. Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Bake according to recipe directions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 144 calories, Fat 8g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 148mg sodium, Carbohydrate 15g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients, especially butter and cream. Fresh, unsalted butter and heavy cream will give you the best flavor and texture.
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start. This will help them incorporate smoothly into the mixture.
- Don't overcook the pastry cream. It should be thick and creamy, but not rubbery. The internal temperature should reach 170-175°F (77-79°C).
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps. This will give you a smooth and silky filling.
- Allow the pastry cream to cool completely before using it. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the bowl in an ice bath.
- Pastry cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
Conclusion:
Pastry cream is a delicious and versatile filling for pies, tarts, and other desserts. It is easy to make and can be customized to your own taste. With a little practice, you can make perfect pastry cream every time.
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