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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!
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!
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).
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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).
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.
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).
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.
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.
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 tsp 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.
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Italian Pastry Cream – Crema Pasticcera
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks, (large eggs)
- ⅓ cup sugar, (70g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch, Cornflour in the UK (30g)
- 2.5 cups full-fat milk, (590ml)
- ½ tsp 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 tsp 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.
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If I’m using this as filling between cake layers with fresh strawberries, would you add whipped cream to it? Can you elaborate?
You can use the pastry cream as it is or you can fold whipped cream into the pastry cream and use that 🙂
beautiful crema pasticcera
Absolutely perfect
Thanks so much, Roberta!
At what stage do you add liquor if using. Thanks Ivana
Hi Ivana, you can add it at the end once the crema has thickened, stir it in then transfer to a bowl to cool 🙂
Thank you
Do you replace the vanilla with citrus zest or add both? When do you add the zest?
Hi Taylor, you can use both. Add the zest to the milk as you heat it up to infuse.
I had amazing pistachio flavoured while in Italy. Can I incorporate it to this recipe? If so, at what stage? Looking forward to trying your recipe!!
Hi Pamela, yes, if you’re adding pistachio cream you can add it to the pastry cream while still warm 🙂
Hello! Is the cream thick enough to fill cannolis with?
It’s pretty thick when cold but for cannoli I would fold the crema with a little whipped cream, enjoy!
Can you use this in cream puffs?
Sure, you can even mix it with some whipped cream too!
Does this pastry cream thicken a little more in the refrigerator?
Yes, it will thicken more as it cools.
Turned out perfect first try! I would love to try this by adding whipped cream and using it to frost a cake.
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 🙂
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!
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!