Description
This classic homemade pastry cream is a smooth, thick, and perfectly sweet custard made from scratch using egg yolks, milk, sugar, cornstarch, butter, and vanilla. It’s a versatile and comforting base perfect for filling cakes, pies, and pastries or enjoyed on its own chilled or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Custard Base
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 2/3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar, divided
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (or cornflour)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Heat the Milk: In a large saucepan, combine whole milk and half of the sugar. Heat over medium heat until it’s just below boiling point, then reduce to low heat to keep warm.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Egg Yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks to this mixture and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
- Temper the Eggs: When the milk is hot and ready, slowly pour 1 cup of the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
- Combine and Cook Custard: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon to prevent lumps, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 3–5 minutes. The temperature should reach around 185°F (85°C).
- Finish the Cream: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in softened butter until fully melted and smooth. Add vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
- Strain the Custard: To ensure an ultra-smooth texture, strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps or cooked egg bits.
- Cool and Store: Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Serve: Serve the pastry cream chilled or at room temperature as a dessert or a filling for your favorite pastries, cakes, and pies.
Notes
- Always temper the eggs slowly to avoid curdling the custard.
- Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap to avoid skin formation.
- Use whole milk for a creamier texture; low-fat milk will yield a thinner custard.
- For a richer flavor, you can substitute some milk with cream.
- Pastry cream can be flavored with other extracts or ingredients such as citrus zest, coffee, or chocolate.
