Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
Quite similar to crème anglaise but much thicker. It is used in many pastries like choux pastry (pâte à choux) or millefeuille.
40 min.
Easy
720 g
5 IngredientsLast modified on: January 27th 2017
For 720 g, you will need:
- 1
6 egg yolks - 2
100 g caster sugar - 3
500 ml Milk - 4
40 g cornflour - 5
1 vanilla pod - Total weight: 765 grams
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 30 min.
Cooking: 7 min.
All in all: 40 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 20 min.
Pour 500 ml Milk into a pan, and add the inside of 1 vanilla pod (the little black seeds) after carefully scraping them out with the tip a knife.
Bring to the boil on medium heat. As soon as it boils, take off the heat, cover and leave vanilla to infuse 10 minutes.
Bring to the boil on medium heat. As soon as it boils, take off the heat, cover and leave vanilla to infuse 10 minutes.
Stage 2 - 2 min.
Meanwhile, put 6 egg yolks in a bowl and add 100 g caster sugar, and without delay beat to mix thoroughly.
It is not necessary to beat for a long time to whiten, so it can be done by hand with a whisk in 1 minute.
It is not necessary to beat for a long time to whiten, so it can be done by hand with a whisk in 1 minute.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
Then slowly pour the hot milk onto the mixture while beating continuously until thoroughly mixed.
Stage 5 - 2 min.
Transfer the mixture back into the pan.
Stage 6
Unlike for crème anglaise or crème brûlée, it is not essential to remove the froth, it will get mixed in during cooking.
But it's better...
But it's better...
Stage 7 - 7 min.
Put the pan on low-medium heat, and cook gently while beating continuously.
It's important to scrape the whisk over the bottom of the pan to avoid custard sticking.
It's important to scrape the whisk over the bottom of the pan to avoid custard sticking.
Stage 8
Cooking is complete when custard is of a good consistency, in other words like a thickish purée, but not too firm..
The custard thickens quite quickly, especially if the heat is high, so do not to hesitate to take pan off heat, while continuing to stir, if this happens.
Also, remember that your custard will continue cooking for a little while after being removed from the heat, so bear this in mind when deciding at what point to stop...
The custard thickens quite quickly, especially if the heat is high, so do not to hesitate to take pan off heat, while continuing to stir, if this happens.
Also, remember that your custard will continue cooking for a little while after being removed from the heat, so bear this in mind when deciding at what point to stop...
Stage 9
Once custard is finished, cover the pan to avoid a skin forming.
Later, if you use the custard cold and it is too stiff, beat one or two tablespoonsful of cream into it vigorously.
Later, if you use the custard cold and it is too stiff, beat one or two tablespoonsful of cream into it vigorously.
Stage 10
When finished, cream is very hot, if you want to use it immediately you should cool it.
The easier solution is to put it in the fridge, but it's quite long.
The best way is to proceed as chefs, and spread it on a plastic film (to protect from the air) then put it in the fridge.
The easier solution is to put it in the fridge, but it's quite long.
The best way is to proceed as chefs, and spread it on a plastic film (to protect from the air) then put it in the fridge.
Stage 11
This short video show you how to proceed.
Remarks
It's possible to flavour confectioner's custurd with other things rather than vanilla: coffee, alcohols, etc... You can also make a chocolate custard by folding about 100 g of chocolate, broken in small pieces into the custard with the whisk while it is still hot.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: After Gaston Lenôtre.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 50 RDI=20 % | 150 RDI=10 % | 60 RDI=10 % | 1,360 RDI=70 % | 5,680 RDI: 70 % |
| Per 100 g | 6 RDI=2 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 8 RDI=1 % | 180 RDI=9 % | 740 RDI: 9 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 720 g : 3.75 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 20
Fraisier (French strawberry cake)
This classic French patisserie is a delicious assembly of 2 layers of genoa sponge filled with strawberries and crème mousseline (confectioner's custard with butter). The sponge is soaked in strawberry syrup and the cake is topped with a thin layer of marzipan.
177 K4.2 2 hours 45 min.
St Tropez tart
This famous dessert from St Tropez is more of a cake than a tart. The sugar-sprinkled brioche layers are sandwiched together with a rich vanilla filling which is a mixture of confectioner's custard and whipped cream.
112 K3.8 3 hours 35 min.
Pear verbena tarts
Crisp sweetcrust pastry cases, a velvety diplomat cream flavoured with verbena, and slices of poached pears for delicious and dainty pear verbena tarts.
38 K 60 min.
Diplomat cream
Diplomat cream or "crème Madame" (a much prettier name) is one of many creams in French pâtisserie based on confectioner's custard. The classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) has gelatin added while hot, then whipped cream is folded in when cold. This gives a...
70 K 1 hour 50 min.
Pear and lime meringue pie
A layer of light lime cream and caramelized pears in a crisp pastry case, topped with Italian meringue, which is browned under the grill or with a flame.
254 K 23.8 2 hours 40 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Milk
Like these other recipes: Artichoke Soup, Pesto crackers, Pan-baked hash brown (Hash-brown casserole), Mouna, Profiteroles, ... See them all 60
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Pistachio ice cream, Cornmeal baps for Anne, Toffee apple upside-down cake, Black sesame flan, Apricot and pistachio clafoutis, ... See them all 360
Cornflour
Like these other recipes: Rich hazelnut buttercream, Lime confectioner's custard (pastry cream), Italian hot chocolate , Pumpkin (or potimarron) soup, Mushroom velouté, ... See them all 33
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Langoustine sabayon tart, Fish in white wine, Smoked eggs, Chocolate-verbena cream, Panettone, ... See them all 73
Other recipes you may also like
How to prevent butter burning during cooking
Butter, which is excellent for fixing flavours in a recipe, burns if the temperature is too high. It darkens and produces unpleasant small black specks (by the way, note that the famous recipe "raie au beurre noir", ray in black butter, is a kind of sacrilege!).February 21th 2011139 K 24.1 3 min.
Green parsley sauce
This sauce, with a great parsley taste, is perfect with steamed vegetables or fish. At the bottom you will find the coulis version of this recipe.February 21th 2011527 K 44.3 25 min.
Naan
Naan is a type of Asian bread made from wheat flour. This kind comes from the Punjab region of India.September 25th 2011189 K4 3 hours 45 min.
Pistachio custard tart
Similar in texture to a classic rich French custard tart, this version has the same sweetcrust pastry case, but the filling has a delicious pistachio flavour, rather than the normal vanilla.July 13th 2022122 K 24.3 50 min.
Veal Chop With Assortment of Vegetables
The veal chop in this recipe is cooked in two stages: flash fried first to brown it all over, then gently roasted in the oven. The chop is served with an assortment of vegetables, first lightly boiled, then reheated in the "jus" (cooking juices).November 18th 201570 K5 2 hours 30 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-05-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe (as 11 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 31 comments already posted on this recipe
In the past, when corn flour was not existing, that how pastry chef does.
You can also reduce caster sugar of one teaspoon and add a teaspoon of vanilla sugar instead.