Crema Pasticcera: Italian Pastry Cream Recipe
Crema Pasticcera, or Italian pastry cream, is a smooth, rich custard made from milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar, and thickened with flour and cornstarch. This versatile cream is perfect for filling pastries, cakes, and desserts, offering a delicate vanilla flavor and a luscious texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes plus 2-3 hours chilling
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Dairy
- 1 cup milk (divided, preferably whole or 2%)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Eggs
- 5 large egg yolks (room temperature)
Dry Ingredients
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (or 1/2 cup for a lighter sweetness)
- 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Flavoring
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat dairy and sugar: In a medium saucepan, whisk together ½ cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream, and granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to steam and is nearly boiling, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix egg yolks and thickeners: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, flour, cornstarch, and the remaining ½ cup milk until smooth and combined.
- Temper the eggs: To prevent scrambling, gradually whisk a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Then strain the tempered eggs through a fine mesh sieve to remove lumps of cooked egg, pouring the smooth mixture back into the saucepan with the hot milk mixture.
- Cook the custard: Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it comes to a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes. Continue simmering and stirring for an additional minute to thicken the custard, then remove from heat.
- Strain and cool: Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a metal or glass bowl set over an ice bath. Stir in the salted butter and vanilla extract until smooth. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 2-3 hours.
- Store: Keep the pastry cream in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 5 days for optimal freshness.
Notes
- For a lighter sweetness, reduce the sugar to ½ cup.
- Whisk constantly while cooking to prevent the custard from burning or developing lumps.
- Tempering the eggs is essential to avoid scrambled egg texture in the cream.
- Always press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent skin formation.
- This pastry cream can be used as a filling for éclairs, tarts, cakes, and other Italian desserts.
