Basic Pastry Cream
This is the backbone of éclairs, fruit tarts, and cream cakes. It is a simple preparation that rewards steady hands and constant attention at the stove.
Watch the temperature, not the clock.
Have a strainer and a cold bowl ready before you start cooking to stop the heat immediately once the cream thickens.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Whisk
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Bowl
- Plastic wrap
What goes in.
- 2 cupswhole milk
- 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
- 1/4 cupcornstarch
- 4large egg yolks
- 2 tbspunsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tspvanilla extract
Bringing the yolks to temperature
Slowly adding hot milk to the cold yolks prevents them from scrambling. Pour the liquid in a thin, steady stream while whisking the yolks rapidly.
The method.
Heat the milk
Bring the milk to a bare simmer in a saucepan over medium heat, then remove from the burner.
Whisk base
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until the mixture is pale and smooth.
Temper
Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Return this tempered mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk.
Cook
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once the mixture bubbles, keep it over the heat for 60 seconds while whisking to ensure the starch is fully cooked.
Finish
Remove from heat, strain through a sieve into a clean bowl, and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream and chill.
Other turns to take.
Chocolate
Whisk 3 ounces of chopped dark chocolate into the cream immediately after removing from the heat.
Coffee
Steep 2 tablespoons of whole coffee beans in the milk while heating, then strain the beans out before tempering.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you see small lumps, immediately push the cream through a fine-mesh sieve.
Do not let the cream sit uncovered in the fridge or it will develop a tough skin.
Use high-quality vanilla extract, as it is a primary flavor note in the finished product.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why is my cream runny?
The starch likely wasn't cooked long enough. It must bubble for at least a full minute to thicken properly.
Can I use cornstarch instead of flour?
Yes, cornstarch creates a clean, thick texture. If using flour, you must cook the mixture slightly longer to remove the raw flour taste.
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