Making Classic Crème Pâtissière
Crème pâtissière is a thick, stable custard built by tempering egg yolks with hot milk and starch, then cooking until it sets into a smooth, glossy cream. It relies on the transition of cornstarch from a milky slurry to a stable binder, which occurs only when the mixture reaches a boil.
Watch the temperature
Keep your whisk moving constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Have a clean bowl and plastic wrap ready before you start.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Plastic wrap
What goes in.
- 2 cupswhole milk
- 4large egg yolks
- 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
- 3 tbspcornstarch
- 2 tbspunsalted butter, softened
- 1 tspvanilla bean paste
Passing the starch barrier
Many pull the custard off the heat too early. You must let the mixture bubble for at least one full minute after thickening to cook out the raw starch flavor and activate the proteins.
The method.
Heat the milk
Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, then remove from the burner.
Whisk the base
In a bowl, beat the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until the mixture is pale and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted.
Temper
Slowly pour half of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously. Pour the tempered mixture back into the remaining milk in the saucepan.
Cook
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once it thickens, continue to whisk and boil for one minute. The texture should change from lumpy to smooth.
Finish and cool
Remove from heat, stir in the butter and vanilla. Press through a sieve into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin, and chill.
Other turns to take.
Crème Diplomate
Fold equal parts cold crème pâtissière and whipped cream together for a lighter, airy mousse.
Chocolate Pastry Cream
Whisk 3 ounces of chopped dark chocolate into the hot cream immediately after removing from the stove.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a heavy-bottomed pan to distribute heat evenly and prevent the bottom from scorching.
If you see small lumps, immediately push the entire batch through a fine-mesh sieve into a cold bowl.
Press the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to stop a thick skin from forming as it cools.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my cream runny?
The starch likely didn't reach the boiling point. Ensure the mixture bubbles steadily for the full minute.
Can I use flour instead of cornstarch?
You can, but cornstarch creates a cleaner, more translucent finish. If substituting flour, use twice the amount.
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