Crema Pasticcera Recipe (Italian Pastry Cream)

Crema Pasticcera is a decadent Italian pastry cream with a hint of vanilla. This recipe makes the perfect topping for pastries and cakes!

📝 Ingredients

• 1 cup milk (divided (preferably whole or 2%))
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (for a lightly sweet custard, only add 1/2 cup 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

1. 1In a medium saucepan, whisk to combine ½ cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until milk begins to steam and is almost boiling, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. 2Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, flour, and cornstarch with remaining ½ cup milk, until smooth.
3. 3To prevent the eggs from cooking, first whisk a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture into the bowl of eggs. Pour the tempered egg mixture through a fine mesh strainer (this will remove any lumps of cooked egg), back into the saucepan with the simmering milk. Stir to incorporate.
4. 4Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Simmer for one minute while mixture thickens and then remove from heat.
5. 5Strain custard through a fine mesh strainer into a metal or glass bowl set over an ice bath. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract.Press a piece of plastic wrap against the top of the pastry cream (so it doesn't develop a skin). Refrigerate until completely cool, about 2-3 hours.
6. 6Store in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 5 days.