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
½ cup caster sugar - 3
2 cups + 2 tablespoons Milk - 4
2 ½ tablespoons cornflour - 5
1 vanilla pod
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 2 cups + 2 tablespoons 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 ½ cup 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.
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This recipe uses (among others)
Milk
Like these other recipes: Chocolate tart, Choux pastry (pâte à choux), Invisible apple cake, Chocolate-verbena cream, Kugelhof for Nanou, ... See them all 60
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Apple crisps, Caramelized pear custard tart, Checkerboard biscuits, Fruit paste : Blackcurrant, Citrus tart, ... See them all 352
Cornflour
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Egg yolk
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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.