Creamy, velvety, sweet but not too sweet, with delicious vanilla flavor. This heavenly custard cream can be enjoyed on its own or used as a filling for desserts.
This basic recipe for custard cream aka pastry cream is for keeps. The texture is so creamy and its balanced sweetness makes it a great base to add other sweet or nonsweet toppings to it.
Table Of Contents
What Is Custard Cream
This creamy custard is something between an egg custard cream (Creme Anglaisse) and a pastry cream (Creme Patissiere). It's creamier and thicker than egg custard but not as thick as pastry cream. It can still be used as a filling for cakes or tarts but is not as stable and firm as classic pastry cream.
Use It As A Filling For:
- Filling tarts. My personal favorite: use in a fresh fruit tart.
- Also as a filling for cakes like in this almond torte
- As a filling for eclairs and cream puffs.
- To make Greek desserts like Bougatsa
Or Serve On Its Own Topped With:
- Cinnamon
- Cocoa & Biscuits
- Instant Coffee Powder
- Whipped Cream & Jam
- Fresh Fruits
- Chocolate Sprinkles
How To Make Custard Cream
First, you heat the milk along with the sugar to the point that it starts to get steamy hot, right before it starts to boil.
NOTE: Heating milk and sugar together prevents milk from scorching easily.
Second, beat the egg yolks and combine with the cornstarch.
Then slowly incorporate the hot milk into the egg mixture. To do this use a ladle and pour it slowly while whisking the eggs constantly so they won't curdle.
Once you've incorporated at least half of the milk into the eggs transfer back to the pot. Then over low heat whisk almost constantly until the cream thickens.
Finally, out of heat and after leaving the cream to cool for a few minutes, mix in the butter.
Additional Flavors
Add lemon or orange zest for more aromatic pastry cream (especially if you're going to include it in a fruit tart. Stir in a few blocks of chocolate or some cocoa powder and turn it into a chocolate custard cream.
Add whipped cream or meringue, to give an airier mousse-like texture (not very stable as a cake filling though).
NOTE: all flavorings are incorporated into the cream while it's still hot in the pot. Except for whipped cream and meringue (the cream needs to be cool).
Can I Make It Lactose-free?
Sure! You can make this cream using any plant-based milk you like. The best ones for me are oat and soya milk, or a combination of these. I find them slightly creamier than almond and coconut milk.
As for the butter you've got two options. One is to use margarine instead of butter which I am really not fond of. And second is to use 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks instead of 8 egg yolks this recipe calls for. The egg whites will make up for the thickening the butter gives.
How Long Will It Last?
How much of a sweet tooth do you have? Just kidding, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. In some cases up to 4 if the fridge temperature is pretty low.
Recipe
Custard Cream (Vanilla Pastry Cream)
Ingredients
- 1 liter milk
- 180 grams (1½ cup + 8 tablespoons) sugar
- 8 egg yolks
- 60 grams (8 tablespoons) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or half a vanilla pod
- 100 grams (7 tablespoons) butter
Instructions
- Lightly beat egg yolks with a whisk.
- Add the cornstarch to the egg yolks and whisk to combine.
- Heat milk with sugar and vanilla extract in a saucepan.
- Whisk the cornstarch and egg yolks once again because the starch tends to stick at the bottom.
- Combine milk with eggs. Once the milk becomes steamy hot, take the pot off the heat and ladle the hot milk into the eggs very slowly. Once you have transferred at least half the milk into the eggs, pour the mixture into the cooking pot.
- Cook the cream over low heat stirring, until it thickens. Then take the pot off the heat and allow the cream to cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. Stir it now and then so it won't form a skin on top.
- Add the butter and stir to combine.
- Cool the cream. Transfer to individual bowls or in one large bowl (if you're using it for cakes tarts etc). See Notes Below. Once the cream cools to room temperature you can refrigerate it.
- Serve with ground cinnamon, cocoa, or fruit on top, and enjoy!
Can I bake the custard in filo before it sets like a custard galaktaboureko?
Hi Bea, sure you can! As long as it's tucked inside filo.
Sorry, I can only give it 3 stars as it was way too sweet for me.
Better next time with half the sugar.
Thank you
No worries Evie, I get it 🙂