This Caramel Pastry Cream is smooth, creamy and the perfect filling for tarts, puff pastry, danishes or even parfaits!
Pastry cream is one of the hardest working recipes in a baker’s arsenal! Just like almond cream, it can be baked into danishes; used as a filling for tarts like this puff pastry fruit tart, éclairs, or profiteroles; lightened with whipped cream as a filling for trifles like this maple pumpkin trifle, donuts, parfaits or pies; or even used to make German Buttercream!
It is a stirred custard like vanilla bean crème anglaise or vanilla bean rice pudding, which means that it is thickened on the stovetop while stirring. Unlike baked custards like vanilla bean crème brûlée or chocolate chip cheesecake, it is cooked over higher heat and needs constant attention.
This is a variation of my Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream, but instead of adding additional flavoring at the end, which is so expected, we are making the caramel from the very start! It is slightly less sweet and has a delicate caramel flavor. You can add more caramel sauce at the end while it is warm, if you want a more intense caramel flavor.
Why are there lumps in my pastry cream!
Along with burning or undercooking it, lumps are a common downfall. There are a few stages where you need to be on high-lump-alert!
- Whisk cornstarch with the eggs and sugar. This will help keep the egg proteins from denaturing in the presence of sugar and also keep the cornstarch from clumping!
- When you temper your milk into the eggs, slowly, and in a controlled fashion, add the hot milk while whisking. This allows the eggs to come up to the temperature of the milk without cooking them. Look, ma! No lumps!
- While the pastry cream is cooking: Whisk constantly! Do not allow bits of pastry cream to coagulate and then burn. Don't forget the edges of the pot!
- Overcooking: if you overcook your pastry cream or you cook it at too high of a heat, you will get lumps.
- Cool it quickly! I pour mine out on a plastic wrap lined baking sheet, spread it out, then cover it with plastic wrap so it doesn’t develop a skin. Poke some holes in the top plastic to let the steam escape and then pop it in the refrigerator!
How to refresh pastry cream?
Now that you have a lump-free pastry cream, one last note of advice! Before you use pastry cream, you need to “refresh it” or “condition” it. All this means is you need to beat it so that it becomes smooth and silky. This won’t get any lumps out but it will create a more pleasant product to eat and work with. Don’t try folding unconditioned pastry cream into whipped cream. It’s misery.
You can condition it with a stand mixer or by hand in a bowl with a rubber spatula.
Recipe
Caramel Pastry Cream
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 4 cups whole milk (1 quart)
- 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for milk mixture)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for egg mixture)
- 2 whole eggs
- 4 yolks
- 10 tablespoon Cornstarch (½ cup + 2 tbsp)
Instructions
Prepare Pastry Cream:
- Heat milk, sugar and vanilla bean to warm. Set aside.
- Make a caramel with the 400g sugar and take it to a dark amber. Whisk in the warmed milk mixture. Bring to a boil.
- In a bowl whisk together eggs, yolks and remaining sugar until pale yellow and doubled in volume. Whisk in cornstarch or pastry cream powder.
- When milk caramel mixture comes to a boil, slowly pour it into your egg mixture. Adding a little at a time while whisking.
- Return mixture to the pot and whisk over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Boil 1 minute while constantly whisking.
- Pour out onto plastic lined half-sheet pan, cover with another sheet of plastic wrap, poke holes and cool.
How to Prepare Pastry Cream for Use:
- Before you use pastry cream, you need to “refresh it” or “condition” it. All this means is you need to beat it so that it becomes smooth and silky. This won’t get any lumps out but it will create a more pleasant product to eat and work with.
- Place the desired amount of pastry cream in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. You don’t want to beat it too long or it will loosen and the cornstarch will lose some of its hold and it will not firm back up when chilled. This can lead to loose, unruly fillings.
Notes
This pastry cream is so smooth and creamy! I loved the caramel flavor.
This was amazing! Creamy, smooth, and really tastes like caramel. I used mine as a filling for cream puffs. Would definitely make again.
Hi Elizabeth! I'm so glad this was amazing in your cream puffs! Thank you for coming back and commenting!
I have never tried this but wow so delicious and a great texture too!
Hi Jo! Thanks so much!
Wooooow!!! This caramel pastry cream is so good! I made it for the first time this weekend as a filling for cream puffs and honestly, it took all my self-control to not eat it all straight from the bowl. We were all lucky there was any left for the cream puffs. So good!
Hi Rebecca! Thank you so much for commenting, those cream puffs sound divine!
I'm not usually the biggest caramel fan but this pastry cream was SO good!! I'll definitely make it again!
Hi Liz! I'm so glad might make you into a caramel fan yet! 🤣
“ In this recipe I do not split my sugar between the milk and eggs for a few reasons.” The instructions later state:
“ Heat milk, sugar and vanilla bean to warm….In a bowl whisk together eggs, yolks and remaining sugar” there is no note of splitting the 140g of sugar or any remainder, would you please clarify the instructions?
Hi Clifford, that is a good question and I can see how that was confusing. When making traditional pastry cream, one splits the sugar between the cooking milk and the whisked eggs. This keeps the milk from scorching as it is boiling and also provides a little protection for the eggs during tempering. However, in this recipe there is plenty of residual sugar from the caramel to protect the milk so the entire 140g goes in the eggs. My assistant took those tips from my Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream post without revising them to the current recipe. I hope that clarifies. Best, Lindsey
In step 3, what is blanchir eggs and yolks? Should it be blend or beat?
Just looked at your vanilla pastry cream recipe and see that blanchir means whisk! I have never heard this term!