This recipe for Delicious Classic Vanilla Pastry Cream in 10 Min. is a great foundation recipe for any baker to have on hand. Classic vanilla pastry cream is a versatile base used in many desserts including, fresh fruit tarts, cakes, cream puffs, napoleons and doughnuts. It’s also a simple and satisfying dessert on its own with a little fresh fruit. Pictured right, this pastry cream filling provides a rich base for a seasonal fresh fruit tart.
Additionally, if you’re looking for a way to engage your kids in the kitchen, this recipe is fast and easy enough for a budding chef. It’s a great opportunity for kids to see the stages of a custard as it thickens on the stove and how the flavor and texture changes with the addition of the vanilla and butter. It’s also a recipe to get them thinking creatively.
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
The Culinary History of Pastry Cream
Pastry cream, also known as crème pâtissière, is a type of egg-based custard that has a rich culinary history that traces back to to the 17th century when French chefs began incorporating it into their desserts.
Traditionally, the cream is made by combining milk, sugar, egg yolks, and flour or cornstarch, resulting in a smooth and velvety custard-like texture. Pastry cream has been a versatile component in classic pastries like éclairs, cream puffs, and fruit tarts. Its popularity expanded globally, influencing various cuisines and finding its way into a myriad of desserts.
In modern-day dessert making, pastry cream serves as a foundation for creating indulgent and decadent desserts. It is often flavored with vanilla, chocolate, or other extracts to enhance its taste, and pastry chefs continue to innovate, playing with the composition of the base ingredients and incorporating it into diverse recipes to delight the taste buds of dessert enthusiasts. A simple search on the internet can yield everything from a classic recipe to vegan versions.
Delicious Classic Vanilla Pastry Cream in 10 Min. A Tasty Medium for Budding Artists
When our daughter was little, I’d place her in the high chair to keep me company while I was in the kitchen. I viewed that time together as a way to expose her to new flavors while feeding her creativity. At the time, we had a 5-foot x 7-foot kitchen table with a white tile top. I loved that table. It was the easiest thing in the world to clean. I’d take a few teaspoons of pastry cream, and add a little food coloring to create her color palate.
I’d then commission her to paint for me a masterpiece as big as she wanted. She would chatter away while painting and I’d take a break from whatever I was doing in the kitchen to admire her work. Clean up was always fun. We’d run our fingers through the “painting” and playfully eat up a tree or a bird in the sky before washing down the table.
If you’re looking for something fun to do with your kids on a cold or rainy day, check out my post on Edible Finger Paint for Little Artists. You can find it under the section of my blog titled, “The Tea”.
Slow and low is key when making pastry cream
If the heat is too high or you are stirring too slowly, the eggs will break out of your cream and you will have sweetened scrambled egg bits in your custard. If this happens, there’s no saving it and you’ll need to start over. Slow and low is key here.
If serving as a stand alone dessert with some fresh fruit, this recipe yields four 1/2 cup servings.
Delicious Classic Vanilla Pastry Cream in 10 Min.
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutesA silky, vanilla cream that can be used as a base for other dessert recipes or enjoyed by itself.
Ingredients
2 cups milk (I prefer whole milk, but you can use 2%)
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Directions
- In a 5-quart heavy bottom stock pot, whisk together the eggs, sugar, corn starch, salt, vanilla and milk over medium heat. Stir constantly.
- Continue stirring until the mixture comes together and thickens to the consistency of a semi-thick custard pudding.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter until completely incorporated.
- Pour the custard through a strainer into a glass bowl. Discard any clumps or bits of egg. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard. Allow the custard to cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Why do I need to place plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the custard? Why can’t I just cover the custard while it cools? Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to prevent a thick skin from forming on top. Never cover a hot custard with a lid. The condensation that forms on the top of the lid will drip down into the custard and prevent it from setting up properly.
