French Pastry Cream

5 from 1 vote

Classic French Pastry Cream - perfect for cakes, cream puffs, eclairs and danishes!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Resting Time2

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 1041kcal

Whisk egg yolks until smooth in a large bowl.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. gradually add milk in a slow, steady stream, and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
Whisking constantly, slowly pour one third of the milk mixture into egg yolks (this step is called tempering, which keeps the yolks from curdling). Pour mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil and is thick enough to hold its shape when lifted with a spoon, 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and butter.
Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).

Storage: You can keep your vanilla pastry cream in the fridge up to 3 days. Just make sure it's come to room temperature before you chill it. Then be sure it's properly covered. I place plastic wrap directly on the surface so a skin doesn't form.
Make diplomat cream: Add in 1/2 cup whipped cream to make a light whipped pastry cream.
Flavor your pastry cream. Add 1-2 teaspoons of an extract such as almond or maybe some espresso powder (heat the powder with the milk step).
Make an adult version. Add in a 1/2 tablespoon of a booze of your choice- try some Kahlua, Grand Marnier, Frangelico, etc!
Make chocolate pastry cream - Add 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder with the sugar mixture. Off the heat, add 1 cup chopped chocolate with the vanilla and butter and stir in until smooth.