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    Home » Recipes » Italian Desserts

    Italian Pastry Cream: Crema Pasticcera

    Published: May 9, 2020, Last updated: Sep 3, 2021 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A pinterest graphic of Italian pastry cream

    How to make Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) from scratch in only 10 minutes. This smooth and creamy vanilla pastry cream can be used for so many delicious desserts from Italian doughnuts, pastries, cakes or tarts, the list is endless!

    A small individual sized pie crust filled with Italian pastry cream and topped with two slices of strawberry.
    A small pie crust filled with Italian pastry cream and topped with fresh berries. Try it for a super quick and simple dessert!

    Crema Pasticcera is just incredible!

    If you've ever ordered a pastry or doughnut alla crema at a bar in Italy it comes heavily filled with pastry cream.

    Everyone makes theirs slightly different adapting it with different citrus zest usually lemon or orange and sometimes it's spiked with a little Limoncello or La Strega liqueur, omg it is so delicious!

    This recipe is for a basic Italian pastry cream with vanilla but you can easily adapt it with lemon or your liqueur of choice.

    We also have a chocolate version which is so rich a decadent, perfect for all kinds of chocolate desserts!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients you need
    • Step by step photos and recipe instructions
    • Different flavours and variations
    • How to store pastry cream
    • Fun ways to use it
    • Top tips for making Italian Pastry Cream
    • 📖 Full Recipe

    Ingredients you need

    The ingredients are super simple; eggs, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and full-fat milk. I recommend using full-fat milk because it thickens quickly and gives a rich and creamy flavour to the pastry cream (see the photo below that shows all the ingredients you need).

    An overview of ingredients to make Italian pastry cream

    Step by step photos and recipe instructions

    Warm the milk in a saucepan then set aside.

    In a bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar just until combined. Add the cornstarch (cornflour UK) and mix it into the eggs until combined (photos 1 -3).

    Step by step photos showing how to prepare Italian pastry cream

    Slowly pour the warm milk into the bowl with the eggs constantly whisking until everything is mixed together (make sure the milk is just warm and not hot so the eggs don't scramble) (photos 5 & 6).

    Once combined pour the mixture back into the saucepan you warmed the milk in.

    Step by step photos showing how to thicken pastry cream in a saucepan

    Heat it on a low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes until very thick (photos 7 & 8).

    Top Tip: Be patient with the custard mixture it'll take about 5 minutes before it starts to thicken at all but then it'll thicken very quickly. After 10 minutes it should be at the right consistency (see photos for reference).

    Two photos showing the consistency of pastry cream and with plastic wrap over it

    Once thickened pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place plastic wrap directly on top of the cream so a skin doesn't form (photo 10).

    Once cooled completely place the bowl in the fridge until ready to use.

    A close up of a spoonful of Italian pastry cream

    Different flavours and variations

    There are so many ways to adapt Italian pastry cream, here are some suggestions you might want to try:

    • Lemon zest (1 whole unwaxed lemon)
    • Orange zest (1 whole orange)
    • Limoncello (around 1-2 tbsp)
    • La Strega liqueur (around 1-2 tbsp)
    • Marsala wine  (around 1 tbsp)
    • Cointreau liqueur (around 1-2 tbsp)

    How to store pastry cream

    The Crema Pasticcera will keep well in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

    It's important to keep it covered either in a bowl with plastic wrap or in a sealed container so a skin doesn't form on top.

    If you notice a skin has formed simply scrape it off the top to remove it, if you mix it in you'll end up with lumps.

    Pastry cream can easily split and curdle when frozen so I don't recommend freezing.

    A close up of Italian pastry cream in a bowl

    Fun ways to use it

    I have great memories of eating cornetti (Italian croissants) filled with Crema Pasticcera for breakfast while I was studying Italian in Pisa. Served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a cappuccino it just doesn't get much better!

    Pastries are the ultimate way to use this pastry cream whether it's croissants, Sfogliatelle or Italian doughnuts the list is endless.

    You can also use it to fill little pastry tarts or Torta della Nonna (a delicious baked custard tart topped with pine nuts).

    I also love to fold the pastry cream with whipped cream and use it as a filling and frosting for cakes, delicious!

    Check out our chocolate pastry cream recipe too for making all kinds of chocolate desserts, it's just as easy!

    Top tips for making Italian Pastry Cream

    • Instead of vanilla paste, you can use 1 whole vanilla pod with the inside scraped out and added to the milk (remove the pod when adding the milk to the egg) or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
    • Make sure the milk is not too hot when you mix it with the eggs it should be just warm to avoid scrambling the eggs.
    • Keep the saucepan on a low heat to thicken the mixture if you turn the heat up the eggs will scramble.
    • If you notice any unwanted lumps in your mixture whisk it using a hand whisk to smoothen it out.
    • Use full-fat milk for best results. If you do use semi-skimmed milk it will still work but will take longer to thicken (around 15 minutes).
    • Make sure to cover the Crema Pasticcera with plastic wrap as it cools to avoid a skin forming.
    • Once cooled completely place it in the fridge until ready to use.
    • The pastry cream will keep well for around 4-5 days in the fridge.
    • I do not recommend freezing as pastry cream can split when frozen.

    If you tried this Italian pastry Cream or any other recipes on my blog please be sure to leave me a comment below to let me know how you got on, I love hearing from you. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

    📖 Full Recipe

    Step By Step Photos AboveMost of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
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    A close up of a bowl filled with Italian pastry cream
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    5 from 8 votes

    Italian Pastry Cream - Crema Pasticcera

    How to make Italian Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera) from scratch in only 10 minutes. This smooth and creamy vanilla pastry cream can be used for so many delicious desserts from Italian doughnuts, pastries, cakes or tarts, the list is endless!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Servings 15 servings (around 700g)
    Calories 70kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 5 egg yolks (large eggs)
    • â…“ cup sugar (70g)
    • ¼ cup cornstarch Cornflour in the UK (30g)
    • 2.5 cups full-fat milk (590ml)
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla paste * see notes

    Instructions

    • Warm the milk and vanilla in a saucepan then set aside.
    • Mix the egg yolks and sugar together until combined then add the cornstarch and mix it thoroughly.
    • Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture whilst whisking constantly to avoid any lumps.
    • Once incorporated, pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan and heat it on a medium-low heat.
    • Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very thick in consistency (about 10 minutes). If you find it isn't thickening turn the heat up but keep stirring to avoid scrambling the eggs (use a whisk to get rid of any small lumps if needed).
    • Once thickened, pour the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place plastic wrap directly on top to stop a skin forming.
    • Let the mixture cool then place in the fridge until ready to use.

    Notes

    • Instead of vanilla paste, you can use 1 whole vanilla pod with the inside scraped out and added to the milk (remove the pod when adding the milk to the egg) or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
    • Make sure the milk is not too hot when you mix it with the eggs it should be just warm to avoid scrambling the eggs.
    • Keep the saucepan on a low heat to thicken the mixture if you turn the heat up the eggs will scramble.
    • If you notice any unwanted lumps in your mixture whisk it using a hand whisk to smoothen it out.
    • Use full-fat milk for best results. If you do use semi-skimmed milk it will still work but will take longer to thicken (around 15 minutes).
    • Make sure to cover the Crema Pasticcera with plastic wrap as it cools to avoid a skin forming.
    • Once cooled completely place it in the fridge until ready to use.
    • The pastry cream will keep well for around 4-5 days in the fridge.
    • I do not recommend freezing as pastry cream can split when frozen.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Indira Sarais

      October 07, 2022 at 2:20 pm

      beautiful crema pasticcera

      Reply
    2. Roberta

      March 20, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      Absolutely perfect5 stars

      Reply
      • Emily

        March 21, 2022 at 9:21 am

        Thanks so much, Roberta!

        Reply
    3. Ivana

      February 18, 2022 at 9:10 am

      At what stage do you add liquor if using. Thanks Ivana

      Reply
      • Emily

        February 18, 2022 at 10:48 am

        Hi Ivana, you can add it at the end once the crema has thickened, stir it in then transfer to a bowl to cool 🙂

        Reply
        • Ivana

          February 18, 2022 at 9:54 pm

          Thank you

    4. Taylor

      January 13, 2022 at 3:29 am

      Do you replace the vanilla with citrus zest or add both? When do you add the zest?

      Reply
      • Emily

        January 13, 2022 at 2:58 pm

        Hi Taylor, you can use both. Add the zest to the milk as you heat it up to infuse.

        Reply
    5. Sarah

      December 06, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      Hello! Is the cream thick enough to fill cannolis with?

      Reply
      • Emily

        December 07, 2021 at 10:32 am

        It's pretty thick when cold but for cannoli I would fold the crema with a little whipped cream, enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Rita

      February 15, 2021 at 11:05 pm

      Can you use this in cream puffs?

      Reply
      • Emily

        February 18, 2021 at 5:05 pm

        Sure, you can even mix it with some whipped cream too!

        Reply
    7. Fifi

      January 22, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      Does this pastry cream thicken a little more in the refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 25, 2021 at 1:22 pm

        Yes, it will thicken more as it cools.

        Reply
      • Annette

        April 09, 2022 at 1:10 am

        Turned out perfect first try! I would love to try this by adding whipped cream and using it to frost a cake.5 stars

        Reply
    8. Tammy

      September 20, 2020 at 2:01 pm

      DELICIOUS! Very simple to make. I put half of a vanilla bean in the pot instead of using vanilla paste. Delicious and light with whipped cream added.
      thanks 🙂5 stars

      Reply
    9. Angela

      May 17, 2020 at 10:53 pm

      Oh this makes me close my eyes and dream of Italian pastries in the morning! I might not be there right now, but hey! you just made this look like something I can actually do! and I cannot wait to try! Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        May 17, 2020 at 11:05 pm

        Aw it's such a shame life is on hold right now but hopefully homemade desserts filled with pastry cream will help make it a little easier!

        Reply

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