Vanilla Pastry Cream Recipe

A piping bag full of Vanilla Pastry Cream and surrounded by cream puffs on a blue and white towel

5 from 1 vote

The best Vanilla Pastry Cream recipe! Perfect for your breakfast pastry and desserts. Use to fill pies, cakes, eclairs, Boston Cream Pie, doughnuts, fruit tarts, and cream puffs. Gluten free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Chilling Time3

Total Time3 20

Cuisine: French, International

Course: Dessert

Servings: cups

Calories: 527kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
½ cup sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
¼ cup cornstarch

Instructions

In a medium or large pot over medium heat, mix together the milk, sugar, and vanilla.
Simmer until sugar is dissolved, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch until a light pale yellow.
Add about a half cup of the warm milk mixture into the eggs and whisk constantly until well combined.
Add all of the egg mixture into the pot of milk and whisk together. Put back on the heat and cook at medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and sticking to a spoon, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat. Push the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer with a spoon or spatula to make smooth.
Chill pastry cream, covered, in the refrigerator until fully chilled, at least 3 hours, before using.

Nutrition