Master Pastry Cream Filling Recipe

This pastry cream filling recipe is super simple, versatile, and delicious! The egg yolks give it a gorgeous natural yellow color and the vanilla paste adds those beautiful vanilla bean specks! Pastry cream goes with just about anything - use it as a filling for a fruit tart, as the base for a german buttercream, or in these Boston Cream Whoopie Pies!

For more light and creamy dessert recipes, try Banana Pudding Jars, Lemon Blueberry Jam Cake, and Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies.

Ingredient Notes

• Egg Yolks: You'll need 4 large egg yolks for this recipe. 
• Sugar: Just enough granulated sugar is added to sweeten this pastry cream. You could also substitute an equal amount of brown sugar for a rich molasses taste, similar to the pastry cream in this Ginger Molasses Cranberry Pie. 
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to thicken the pastry cream to the perfect consistency.
• Milk: I recommend using whole milk for optimum flavor. 
• Butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter. 
• Vanilla: For best flavor, add a touch of vanilla bean paste. It also adds those beautiful vanilla bean specks! Alternatively, add an equal amount of vanilla extract.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this master pastry cream filling recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Whisk. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together for 2-3 minutes until light in color.

STEP 2: Temper. Heat the milk in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer or about 200 degrees F. Once the milk is simmering, slowly pour half into the egg-sugar mixture, whisking at the same time to temper the eggs. Pour everything back into the saucepan and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly as it thickens.

STEP 3: Add butter and vanilla. Once the pastry cream is thick and a few big bubbles come to the surface, continue whisking for one more minute, then remove from heat. Immediately stir in the butter and vanilla.

STEP 4: Chill. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap up against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge (preferably) overnight or until ready to use.

Expert Baking Tips

• It can be difficult to tell when milk is simmering sometimes, so it's best to go by temperature (200 degrees F).
• If you're in a rush and cannot chill the pastry cream overnight, you can place the bowl of pastry cream in a large bowl with ice water and whisk constantly until it has come to room temperature.

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x