Description
A rich, velvety Italian pastry cream, Crema Pasticcera, is silky, decadent, and perfectly vanilla-flavored. It’s the ultimate filling for tarts, donuts, cream puffs, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk together ½ cup milk, the cream, and sugar in a saucepan. Gently heat over medium, stirring until it just steams (not boiling), then remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, flour, cornstarch, and remaining ½ cup milk until smooth.
- Temper the eggs by whisking in a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture, then strain the mix through a sieve back into the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it simmers and thickens (about 1 minute), then remove from heat.
- Strain the custard into a bowl over an ice bath, then stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent skin and refrigerate for 2–3 hours until fully chilled.
Notes
- Straining helps achieve a perfectly smooth custard, free from lumps.
- To avoid lumps, stir constantly over gentle heat and don’t rush tempering.
- Store the cream in an airtight container with plastic wrap touching its surface to prevent skin formation.
- Freezing is not recommended as it alters the texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe (about 1/2 cup)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 190mg
