Secret Pastry Cream Recipe

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🥄 Secret Pastry Cream Recipe (Crème Pâtissière)

🇫🇷 Classic French-Style with a Smooth, Rich Finish

📋 Ingredients:

  • 1 liter of whole milk
  • 5 tablespoons of cornstarch (or 60g)
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 150g granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean)
  • 30g unsalted butter (optional, for extra richness)

🍳 Instructions:

1. Heat the Milk

  • Pour the milk into a saucepan.
  • If using a vanilla bean, split it, scrape the seeds into the milk, and add the pod too.
  • Heat gently until it’s warm (don’t boil).
  • Remove from heat once warm and let the vanilla infuse for a few minutes.

2. Whisk the Yolks

  • In a large mixing bowl, add:
    • 4 egg yolks
    • Sugar
    • Cornstarch
  • Whisk well until the mixture becomes pale and smooth.

3. Temper the Eggs

  • Slowly pour about ⅓ of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from curdling.
  • Then, pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot with the rest of the milk.

4. Cook the Cream

  • Return the pot to medium heat.
  • Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens — this takes about 3–5 minutes.
  • Once it starts to bubble gently, cook for another 1 minute to remove any starchy flavor.

5. Add Butter and Vanilla

  • Remove from heat.
  • Stir in butter (if using) and vanilla extract (if you didn’t use a bean earlier).
  • Whisk until smooth and silky.

6. Chill the Cream

  • Pour the cream into a clean bowl.
  • Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
  • Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using.

🧁 Tips for Success

  • Strain the cream before chilling for extra-smooth texture.
  • Use cold butter at the end to give a glossy finish.
  • For chocolate pastry cream: add 100g melted dark chocolate after cooking.
  • For a lighter version: fold in whipped cream after chilling to make “crème légère”.

🍮 Uses

  • Cake layers (Napoleon, sponge cakes)
  • Eclairs & cream puffs
  • Fruit tarts
  • Mille-feuille
  • Donuts (filling)

🧊 Storage

  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Do not freeze — texture will break.

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