Creme Patissiere Calculator

Creme patissiere (pastry cream) is a thick, set cream thickened with cornflour and egg yolks. Unlike pouring custard, it holds its shape when cold and can be piped. It uses only egg yolks (not whole eggs), has more sugar, and includes cornflour for stability. Butter is stirred in at the end for richness and gloss. It is the standard filling for eclairs, tarts, mille-feuille, and Danish pastries.

Homemade creme patissiere keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge. Press cling film directly onto the surface (not just over the bowl) to prevent a skin forming. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month — thaw overnight in the fridge and whisk smooth before using. Never leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours due to the egg content.

Cornflour is the traditional thickener and gives pastry cream its characteristic stability. You can substitute plain flour, but use about twice (2x) the amount by weight — cornflour is pure starch with roughly double the thickening power of flour (the standard rule is 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornflour). The result will be heavier and less glossy. Some recipes use a mix of cornflour and plain flour. Arrowroot is another option but sets differently. Without any starch, you would have creme anglaise — a pouring sauce that will not hold its shape.

Lumps form when the cornflour is not properly mixed with the sugar and yolks before adding the hot milk. Always whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornflour into a smooth paste first, then gradually add the hot milk while whisking constantly. If lumps still form, pass the finished cream through a fine sieve. Also ensure you bring it to a proper boil for at least 1 minute to fully cook the starch.

For a lighter pastry cream (creme legere), fold whipped double cream into cooled creme patissiere at a 1:1 ratio. This creates a mousselike filling that is perfect for fruit tarts and choux buns. You can also fold in Italian meringue for creme chiboust, which is even lighter. For either variation, the base creme patissiere must be completely cold before folding.