How To Make Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera)
Crema Pasticcera is a staple of Italian dessert-making, being used as the smooth and creamy vanilla filling for spectacular desserts like custard tarts, profiteroles, cannoli, cannoncini, cream-filled doughnuts and more! And the best part is, it takes only 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time to create this versatile and delicious pastry cream :)
Italian pastry cream is velvety smooth, creamy and rich. It is essentially a thick vanilla custard, meaning that it can be used for various applications - primarily serving as the filling for numerous, delicious desserts. But it also has the perfect consistency for piping. so it can be used on layer cakes.
I think people tend to get intimidated when they hear the phrase “pastry cream”, thinking that it may represent a complex technique best reserved for pastry chefs rather than home cooks. But that’s actually not the case. Anyone can make Italian pastry cream and it’s very quick to produce too! Only taking about 15 minutes or less to prepare before chilling in the fridge to cool completely before piping/using.
CONTENTS OF THIS RECIPE POST
I always recommend reading the entire post to get the best understanding of the recipe, helpful tips, information about ingredients, storage advice etc. Here’s an overview of what this post covers :)
WHAT INGREDIENTS GO INTO ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)?
Egg Yolks
You only need the yolks for this recipe. Egg yolks have a higher fat content than egg whites, adding richness to both the flavour and texture of this pastry cream. Egg yolks also serve an important purpose in helping to thicken your pastry cream and give it a silky mouthfeel.
If you were to add the egg whites also, it could somewhat dilute the flavour of your pastry cream and make it a little looser in texture.
Cornstarch a.k.a cornflour
Cornstarch thickens the pastry cream so that it can hold its shape well. I use cornstarch instead of flour as cornstarch will not impart any floury taste to the finished pastry cream. Plus it’s gluten-free, which is an added bonus for those following a gluten-free diet :)
Sugar
Gives the pastry cream its sweetness.
Milk
Milk contributes to the smooth texture and creamy flavour. It also gives body to the pastry cream. For these reasons, I do not recommend substituting low-fat or non-dairy milk in this recipe as it will not only affect the flavour, but the consistency and body of the pastry cream.
Vanilla Extract
Gives the pastry cream its wonderful vanilla flavour.
Salt
Seasoning with a pinch of salt will accentuate the other subtle flavours in this pastry cream and enhance its sweetness.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE CORNSTARCH WITH FLOUR?
Yes! If you don’t have any cornstarch, you can still make this recipe using all-purpose flour as a substitute.
Cornstarch has double the thickening power of flour, so when using flour as a substitute you will need to double the quanity. For example, you use 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch required in this recipe.
This pastry cream recipe calls for 3 tbsps + 1 tsp of cornstarch, so you will use 6 tbsps + 2 tsps of all-purpose flour as a substitute!
Important Note: Do NOT use an aluminium or cast iron saucepan when making this recipe as these will leach into the pastry cream and turn it grey! I recommend using a stainless steel saucepan when making Italian pastry cream. :)
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM?
It only takes about 15 minutes to make Italian Pastry Cream and then you can place it into the refrigerator to chill. j
HOW TO PREVENT YOUR PASTRY CREAM FROM BECOMING LUMPY OR GRAINY
To prevent your pastry cream from becoming lumpy, grainy or gritty in texture, you need to make sure the egg yolks are properly incorporated and not overcooked.
Here are a few tips:
Whisk your egg yolks until runny before adding the sugar and cornstarch.
Make sure you temper the eggs. This is the most important step in the recipe and can make or break your pastry cream. I will explain in the recipe itself how to temper the eggs, so please pay attention to that step and don’t forget to complete it - as it is crucial. If you do not temper the eggs, you may risk overcooking them and they will actually scramble and create little egg lumps all throughout your pastry cream, ruining the smooth mouthfeel and silky texture.
OPTIONAL: If you have correctly tempered the eggs, your liquid pastry cream will be perfectly smooth before you add it to the saucepan for the final stage of cooking, which will thicken the consistency. However, if you made a mistake (which can happen on your first try so don’t sweat it!) and your mixture became grainy, you might think it’s all over. But don’t give up because there’s still a chance! Instead of wasting those ingredients you can try to save your pastry cream by running the mixture through a sieve to catch the lumps and keep them out of your saucepan. The end result might not be perfect but it’ll still be good and you’ll learn how to do better for the next time you try :)
Fun Fact: Failure is part of the process of success!
HOW LONG DOES ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM NEED TO CHILL FOR?
Generally Italian Pastry Cream is made to be used in cold desserts such as custard tarts and desserts which require the piping of the Italian pastry cream, like layer cakes, cannoncini or filled doughnuts. For this reason, you will want your pastry cream to be completely cool before using.
When Italian pastry cream comes off the stove it is obviously quite hot and will need some time in the refrigerator to fully cool down. The amount of time will vary depending on the size of the batch you are making. For the quantities used in this recipe it should be about 1 - 2 hours of chill time - however just check and see - if when you touch the airtight container it still feels a little warm, then your Italian pastry cream will need more time to cool.
HOW TO STORE ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM:
Italian pastry cream can be stored in a glass, airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Sometimes pastry cream can form a “skin” layer on top when chilled or in storage. I find that when I store my pastry cream in an airtight container this does not happen. However, if you do experience this with your pastry cream make sure to scrape the layer off. If you mix it through, it will cause lumps in your pastry cream.
The time spent in the refrigerator will also “set” your Italian pastry cream into firmer consistency, so remember to give it another whisk after taking it out of the fridge, to bring back to the desired consistency.
Be mindful! - If your Italian pastry cream has formed a “skin” layer on top after chilling - you must scrape it off - as whisking it through would cause lumps in your pastry cream.
HOW CAN I USE LEFTOVER EGG WHITES?
There are many ways you can use the leftover egg whites you’ll have after separating the egg yolks for this recipe. Egg whites can be used for savoury dishes like an egg white omelette or as a substitute for whole eggs in a baked egg breakfast recipe. They can also be used to make many sweet desserts such as meringue, pavlova, macarons, amaretti cookies and more.
HOW TO USE ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM:
Crema pasticcera is used as the filling for many popular Italian desserts such as cannoli, cornetti, cannoncini and cream-filled doughnuts! It can also be used as a filling for vanilla slice and custard tarts, piped onto layer cakes…or even just enjoyed with some fruit as a rich and spoonable vanilla pudding.
The choice is yours :)
RECIPE
ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)
Yield: 2 cups
Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 1 - 2 hours
Difficulty: Medium
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INGREDIENTS
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
3 tbsps + 1 tsp cornstarch/cornflour, sifted
(If you do not have cornstarch you can substitute with 6 tbsps + 2 tsps of all-purpose flour)
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
METHOD
Place milk in a saucepan and stir through the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then add sugar and cornstarch, whisking again until combined and the mixture is light and creamy.
Once the vanilla milk has reached a simmer, immediately remove from the heat and pour just a few tbsps of the milk into your egg mixture while whisking. This will temper the eggs (help to bring them up to temperature without scrambling them). Repeat this another 2 or 3 times, then slowly stream in all of the remaining milk mixture while whisking.
Once all of the milk has been incorporated, check if your mixture is smooth or grainy. If it is grainy run it through a sieve to remove the lumps as you pour the mixture back into the saucepan. If it is smooth, you can skip the sieve and pour it straight into the saucepan. Then heat on medium-low, whisking constantly, for around 5 minutes or until the pastry cream has thickened considerably in consistency and has bubbled for at least 1 minute while whisking (this is important as if your pastry cream does not reach the temperature to bubble it may not be cooked properly. Please keep in mind that bubbling may not occur until the pastry cream has been on the heat for a few minutes - if it happens right away your temperature is likely too high, and should be lowered a little).
Remove from the heat, whisk a little more and set aside for a few minutes to help it cool down a bit before transferring to a glass, airtight container, sealing and placing in the refrigerator to chill. Once the pastry cream has cooled completely (1 - 2 hours), it will be ready to use. If it has formed a “skin” layer on top, just scrape that off - do not mix it through as doing so would cause lumps in the pastry cream. The pastry cream will be a little more “set” after chilling in the refrigerator, so give it another whisk to bring it back to the desired consistency before piping/using.
STORAGE: Italian pastry cream can be stored in a glass, airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
When ready to use, check to see if a “skin” layer has formed on top. If it has, scrape it off. The pastry cream may also be a little more “set” into a firm consistency after chilling in the fridge so give it a whisk to bring it back to the desired consistency before piping/using.
When you try this recipe…
I’d love to know! Take a pic of your Italian Pastry Cream and tag @smileeatcreate on Instagram
Or leave a comment below!
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