Comments on: Vanilla Pastry Cream

By: zoe

zoe — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:10:29 +0000

Hi Amanda,

You may want to flavor it with a strawberry preserve, which has more body and the flavor is more concentrated. If you use a puree, it will indeed make the pastry cream too thin, and you will have to stabilize it with more egg and cornstarch. I think you will get better flavor with the preserves.

Thanks, Zoë

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:07:06 +0000

hello zoe,
i was thinking of making strawberry pastry cream. do i need to change the base recipe when adding some fruit puree into the pastry cream? because i am afraid that it will become too watery. .

By: zoe

zoe — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:21:43 +0000

Hi Sheyla,

The pastry cream is pretty stiff and will hold up at temperatures in the 70s, but perhaps much warmer a room will make it soft. If you need it to be out in a warm environment, you may want to increase the cornstarch a little bit or stabilize it with some whipped cream, set with a touch of gelatin. Not too much or it will feel like jello.

Thanks, Zoë

By: Sheyla

Sheyla — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:17:39 +0000

Hi! Great site and recipes! one of the comments say is pretty stiff, does it stay that way at room temperature? Pastry Cream is used a lot here in the DR as cake filling, I want to use yours but need to know if it can stand a few hours of room temperature?
Thanks in advance!

By: jami

jami — Mon, 16 May 2011 03:59:57 +0000

Zoe – would pastry cream be a good filling for a cake? I was asked to do a cake with “custard” filling (but by someone who’s English – so not sure if we’re using custard exactly the same way). Could/should I lighten it with whipped cream? Thank you! The recipe sounds great and not too hard.

By: Lori G

Lori G — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:02:42 +0000

Stacy,
Don’t know if you’ll read this or get a copy, but go to:
http://www.lepicerie.com/catalog/category_287_FINE_FOODS_Fruit_Purees__SICOLY__Boiron_page_2.html

Lepicerie.com has amazing fruit purees, which I’ve used in ice creams and other desserts, such as pastry creams and even in a creme anglaise base.

By: zoe

zoe — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:52:09 +0000

Hey Bret,

pistachios are very fatty and will make your pastry cream break down if you use the whole nut. Did you try steeping them in the milk and then strain them through a chinois? This will give you a subtler flavor, but perhaps it is enough to get the idea across?

Thanks, Zoë

By: Bret Bannon

Bret Bannon — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:42:59 +0000

Hi Zoë – First attempt at Pistachio Pastry cream failed miserably. Trying it again using your recipe. We’ll see how it turns out this time. You’ve always come through for me before, I’m hoping your base recipe will work this time as well. Wish me luck.

By: Stacey

Stacey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:16:56 +0000

Hey Zoe! I’m having a hard time finding fresh passion fruit or puree for my pastry cream. I did find passion fruit juice. How and when would I incorporate the juice?

By: zoe

zoe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:33:03 +0000

Hi Ashley,

You want a rather stiff pastry cream to make Napoleans so I would just melt about 4-6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate over a double boiler. While it is melting make the pastry cream and add them together before straining and cooling. it will make the pastry cream much more still, but this is actually ok for what you are using it for, it will be easier to cut without it falling apart!

Enjoy, Zoë