Crème Pâtissière
Crème pâtissière is basically a custard with some added starch (flour and/or cornflour). It is a rich, flavoured sweet pastry cream that is commonly used as a pastry filling. Good examples are fruit tarts, cakes (napoleon cake), cream puffs, and when mixing the creme patissiere with freshly whipped cream, it can be used as filling for eclaires, bee sting cake and much more. It can also be baked as a pastry filling.
It is very simple to make, and the most important tip for a successful result is to keep stirring, vigorously! This is in order to prevent the egg yolks from being scrambled and leaving small lumps in the creme.
Another advice – I like to use it almost immediately. I let it cool down for 10-15 minutes, then use it. Otherwise it becomes a little too thick to work with it effortlessly.
You’ll need:
- 300ml milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 60g sugar
- 20g plain flour
- 15g cornflour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1/3 vanilla pod
How to:
(1) Pour the milk into a small saucepan and bring it to a simmering point
(2) In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar
(3) Add the flour and cornflour into the bowl and mix well
(5) Slowly whisk in the rest of the milk in the mixture and mix well
(6) Pour the mixture back in the saucepan
(7) Add the vanilla to the mixture and bring it slowly to the boil, stirring continuously, until it’s smooth and lump free
(8) Once reached the boiling point, reduce the heat and let simmer for 2 minutes, while stirring. At this point the creme will start curdling, but keep stirring, it’ll become very thick and smooth within seconds.
(9) Remove from the heat and allow the creme to cool a little before using it