How to Make Pastry Cream (Video), and a Giveaway
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Homemade pastry cream is so versatile! Every good baker should have a go-to recipe. Learn how to whip up this creamy, egg-y filling like a pro, with this easy video tutorial! (Gluten and dairy free.)
Good morning, friends! How was your holiday weekend? Ours was very busy, with birthday festivities, holiday celebrations, and lots of time with family. Plus I am still in the process of getting everything back in order, after the big kitchen paint project. I thought I would have been able to share lots of gorgeous pics with you by now, but it's funny how these things always seem to take longer than we expect them to. Look for something from me by the end of this week though, for sure!
For today's post I'm sharing a basic recipe that every good baker should have in her back pocket.
Pastry cream is a "building block recipe" that can be used in so many ways. As a filling for cakes, eclairs, layered into parfaits, or as a base for a cream pie, you will never run out of uses for this versatile item.
I think any time we hear about tempering eggs we tend to get a bit nervous, but this is truly so easy you could practically do it in your sleep. To prove just how do-able homemade pastry cream can be, I made you a little video! You can find it in the recipe card below.
Hopefully this shows how easy homemade pastry cream is to make. If you've never tasted it before, it's sort of like a cross between creme brulee and vanilla pudding. I used to make huge hotel pans of it every week, back in my days in the professional kitchen, and we always used regular dairy milk. But now, in my home kitchen, it's just small batches, and lately I've really been loving coconut milk pastry cream, for a dairy-free option. And it's also naturally gluten-free, so this is a really great thing if you or someone you love has food allergies or sensitivities.
Some tools/ingredients you may need for this recipe:
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Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups (366 ml) milk, (dairy, nut, soy, or coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Heat the milk in a small pot until small bubbles form around the edge, and wisps of steam are rising from the surface.
- Add the hot milk to the egg mixture, a little at a time, whisking to combine.
- When all the milk has been added, transfer the mixture back to the pot and place over medium-low heat. Cook the pastry cream, whisking, until thickened.
- Stir in the vanilla, and pour the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer, into a heat-safe bowl.
- Use the back of a ladle to press the mixture through the sieve.
- Press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and refrigerate.
Now we'll all become pastry cream experts thanks to you! Can't wait to try it 😀
Thanks so much for watching Lily!
This is an amazing tutorial. Fuchsia is my favorite color of Tieks!
Thank you so much Erin! Fuschia sounds gorgeous! I want a pair now too 😉
Great video, Allie! Turns out pastry cream is not so scary after all. Another great use for pastry cream? Afternoon snack on a spoon. 🙂
I hear that! It's such a treat... Thanks so much for watching Meggan!
I love your video, Allie! What a great way to show how to temper eggs. It's one of those techniques that's much easier to see rather than describe. I've never made pastry cream with coconut milk, but I'm sure it would be absolutely delicious. My all time favorite version of pastry cream is diplomat cream (pastry cream mixed with a bit of fresh whipped cream). Talk about decadent! I can't wait to see photos of your new kitchen! After we gutted our house, it took me a good 3 months to get everything settled just in the kitchen 🙂
Wow three months? I believe it though. My kitchen was just painted, no gutting thank goodness! It took me a few days to get it cleaned and back to normal. I'll be showing pics tomorrow! And ps- diplomat cream is my FAVORITE!!! My grandmother used to use it to fill cream puffs and it is just amazing.
Awesome video!! I don't need to be entered in a giveaway, but wanted to chime in to say nice job 🙂
Aw thank you so much! I had a lot of fun putting it together. I'm so happy you enjoyed! Thanks for the awesome feedback <3
That pastry cream looks yummy! My fave color Tieks is Obsidian Black.
Nice! You can't go wrong with that. Thanks so much for reading and entering, Zubayda!
love the video
Yay! Thank you so much Carol! <3
YUM! I love pastry cream and yours is simple, beautiful, perfection!!!
Thank you so much Kayle! I make it so often, I could do it in my sleep lol!
I LOVE the lavender snake Tieks!!!!
The snake prints are my favorite too! Thanks so much for entering Trish!
I love the Cardinal red color the most.
I have a pair of red Toms and I wear them constantly! Great choice, thanks for entering!
I am so glad you shared this video because this has been on my bucket list!
Yay! Good luck Julianne- I think you will fall in love with it!
This is just the perfect recipe for me, Allie! I've just been looking for some pastry cream recipes for some kitchen experiments. You totally read my mind!
Love the video, too! By the way, I separate my egg yolks the same way you do! My friend insists on transferring the egg yolks between broken egg shell halves. Using the hand is so much better!
I agree! Every time I use the egg shells I end up breaking the yolk. I'm so happy you liked this Lisa!
Love homemade pastry cream! Great video! Nice giveaway!
Thank you Mira! <3
I love the Nude Lace or to the Pop Pink! Such cute shoes!! Ummmm and your pastry cream.......Can't wait to make this!!
Yay! Thank you so much Heather- I hope you like it!
Hope your weekend and all the birthday celebrations were a blast 🙂 This pastry cream looks absolutely heavenly, Allie! I just want to dive right in! And I LOVE the video! Can't wait to see your kitchen pics!
Thank you so much Kelly! We had lots of fun and now we're tired, lol. I'm so happy you liked the video, and I can't wait to share pics! Have a great day hon!
I love the olive ones!