Bavarian Cream Recipe (Crème Bavaroise)

Bavarian cream, crème bavaroise or creme bavarois, is a delicious and classic cream. Its simple yet indulgent recipe consists of a luscious combination of vanilla custard (Crème Anglaise), gelatin, and whipped cream - the perfect base for a Charlotte cake and donut filling.

What is Bavarian cream?

Bavarian cream is a classic French cream made with crème Anglaise, mixed with gelatin, and lightened with whipped cream.

Jump to:

• What is Bavarian cream?
• Ingredients
• How to make Bavarian cream step-by-step
• Expert Tips
• Recipe variations
• Storage instructions
• What to do with Bavarian cream
• Troubleshooting
• Recipe FAQ
• Looking for more cream recipes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

The origin of Bavarian cream is quite certain. During the 17th and 18th centuries, numerous French chefs worked at the court of the Wittelsbach Princes, a German family dynasty that ruled Bavaria for over 700 years.

Chefs had a chance to learn culinary secrets in Bavaria. No wonder the Bavarian cream recipe was created by the famous French chef Carême.

In France, the cream is called crème Bavaroise; in Italy - crema Bavarese; in German - Bayerische creme; and Spain - crema Bavaria.

Bavarian cream preparation is similar to Diplomat cream but has a lighter consistency than creme Diplomate. This luxurious cream is richer and creamier than French pastry cream and its Italian cousin, crema Pasticcera.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Gelatin thickens Bavarian cream. Choose 2 ½ gelatin sheets (bloom 200) or 5 g (about 1 ½-2 teaspoons) of powdered gelatin. Note that 1 teaspoon of powdered gelatin equals 2.8 g.
• Egg yolks, not egg whites, are used in the recipe. Use an egg separator to separate the egg yolks from the whites while the eggs are chilled. Then, let them come to room temperature. Use leftover egg whites to make French financiers or Australian plum Pavlova.
• Granulated sugar
• Whole milk
• Vanilla beans, vanilla bean paste, and store-bought or homemade vanilla extract are the best options for bringing flavor to the cream. Use an entire pod or its half.
• Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.

How to make Bavarian cream step-by-step

Step 1. To make crème Anglaise, place gelatine sheets in a large bowl with very cold water and soak for 10 minutes. Then, beat egg yolks with sugar with a hand whisk in a mixing bowl (photo 1).

Step 2. In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, warm milk with the split and scraped vanilla bean over medium heat. When it boils, remove the empty vanilla pod and pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture, stirring vigorously.

Step 3. Pour the milk mixture with tempered yolks back into the saucepan (photo 2), scraping the bottom of the bowl for the remaining vanilla seeds with a spatula.

Step 4. Heat the preparation over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 179°F (82°C). Don't exceed the maximum temperature of 183°F (84°C); otherwise, the eggs will curdle, and the cream will resemble scrambled eggs.

Pro tip: The custard is cooked and must be removed from the heat when:

• the temperature of the custard reaches 179°F (82°C), or
• your finger makes a clear line over a spoon (photo 3) or
• a spatula coated with the cream (photo 4).

Step 5. Off the heat, add the well-drained gelatin and mix well. Pour the custard into a large bowl, shallow dish, or another clean cold saucepan and cover it with plastic wrap in contact (photo 5). The film must touch the cream's surface to prevent skin formation.

Pro tip: If the cream contains some lumps, strain it through a fine mesh strainer immediately after removing it from the heat. Proceed to add the gelatin.

Step 6. Let the cream cool down on the counter (it takes some time), in the refrigerator or freezer to speed up the chilling process. The cream must be cooled to 73-86°F (23-30°C). Check the custard's temperature regularly if placed in the fridge or freezer!

Pro tip: Another way to cool down the custard is to immerse the bowl with the custard in a bowl filled with ice water and stir regularly until the custard reaches 73-86°F (23-30°C).

Step 7. To make the whipped cream, place the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour cold heavy cream into the bowl and whip cream until soft-medium peaks.

Pro tip: Do not overwhip the cream. A cream with stiff peaks is difficult to incorporate, giving the final cream a buttery taste. Read about the soft, medium, and stiff peak stages using the sugar-free whipped cream recipe.

Step 8. Gently fold the whipped cream (without whisking) into the cooled custard in 3 or 4 times. Pour the cream mixture into the molds to make the Bavarois dessert or fill a Charlotte cake. The setting time varies from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the mold size.

You can also transfer the cream to a piping bag to fill cupcakes or choux pastry.

Expert Tips

1. Read on how to make the perfect vanilla custard sauce.
2. Also, refer to the whipped cream recipe for the whipping technique.
3. If powdered gelatin is used, read the package instructions for blooming gelatin.
4. Ensure the egg-gelatin mixture (custard) is cooled to 73-86°F (23-30°C) before introducing the whipped cream.
5. Use the Bavarian cream immediately; otherwise, the gelatin will set, and you won't be able to fill the desserts.

Recipe variations

Vanilla Bavarian cream is a French classic, but you can make it your own with a personalized recipe. So let's discover endless possibilities for this delicious cream.

• Vanilla Bavarian cream: Infuse the milk with the vanilla flavor more intensely by covering the pot with a lid out of the heat and letting it stay for 10-20 minutes. Remove the pod after infusion.

• Chocolate Bavarian cream: Add 1.8 oz. (50 g) of chopped chocolate to 1 cup + ½ tablespoons (250 g) of milk, and proceed with the recipe. 

• Fruit Bavarian cream: Replace part or all milk with fruit puree (raspberry, strawberry, apricot purée, etc.). If homemade, pasteurize it by heating it to 149°F (65°C) for at least 20 minutes. Omit this step with store-bought fruit pure.

Also, you can infuse the milk with different flavors such as mint, verbena, basil, cinnamon, anise, Earle Grey, etc.

• For a cold infusion, place leaves or a tea bag in the milk, cover the bowl, and leave to infuse overnight in the fridge. 
• For a hot infusion, boil the milk, add the leaves, cover the pot with a lid, and let infuse for 10-30 minutes at room temperature.

Storage instructions

Store Bavarian cream in an airtight container covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

Can you freeze Bavarian cream? It is not recommended to freeze Bavarian cream: it contains gelatin that does not support freezing.

What to do with Bavarian cream

Bavarian cream is mainly used in four ways:

• Poured into a single gelatin mold or a few silicone molds, then let set in the fridge, topped with fresh fruit, and served as a stand-alone dessert called Bavarois;
• Used as a Bavarian cream filling for cream puffs, choux a la cream, chouquettes, Bavarian cream donuts, and other pastries;
• Used as a cake filling for Pear Charlotte and other Charlotte cakes;
• Used for making riz à l'impératrice (rice pudding mixed with Bavarian cream, set in a mold and, once unmolded, decorated with fruit).

Troubleshooting

My custard set in the fridge

Reason: The custard was chilled longer than recommended, and the gelatin was set before the custard was mixed with the whipped cream.

Solution: Heat the custard in a bain-marie (water bath) and whisk it vigorously, but don't exceed 73°F (23°C).

My Bavarian cream is runny

Reasons: There are three possible reasons why Bavarian cream is runny:

• The amount of gelatin isn't enough.
• The cooking temperature was not respected.
• The whipped cream was folded into the custard using the whisking method.

Solution: Unfortunately, fixing Bavarian cream at this stage is impossible. It has to be redone.

My Bavarian cream lumpy

Reasons: The reason for the lumpy texture of Bavarian cream can be attributed to two following factors:

• Incorrectly made custard: it was overheated when the eggs started to curdle.
• Gelatin was set while chilling for a prolonged time.

Solution: Addressing lumps during the production of Bavarian cream is essential to ensuring its smooth texture.

• If you notice lumps in custard, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender. However, the blender may turn the custard into a liquid, so use it carefully.

• If you notice lumps in Bavarian cream, try passing it through a fine-mesh sieve while it is still not set. This should fix the problem.

Recipe FAQ

Looking for more cream recipes? Try these next!

• Diplomat Cream
• Mousseline Cream
• Creme Legere
• Chocolate Whipped Cream
• Chantilly Cream
• Chocolate Whipped Ganache

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.