Crema Pasticcera (Italian Pastry Cream)

Quick Summary: Here is the best Italian custard dessert, authentic crema pasticcera or Italian pastry cream. Easy and quick, smooth and luscious, and highly versatile, this simple custard makes a delicious filling for numerous desserts, like zeppole di San Giuseppe or Mimosa cake.

What is crema pasticcera?

Crema pasticcera is an Italian pastry cream made with egg yolks, sugar, and milk, thickened with cornstarch, and flavored with vanilla.

But don't confuse it with crème anglaise, called "crema Inglese" in Italy, which is runnier than Italian pastry cream and served hot.

How do you pronounce crema pasticcera?

Crema pasticcera is pronounced "KREH-mah pah-stee-CHEH-rah." The word pasticcera comes from pasticceria, the Italian word for a pastry shop, so the name literally means "pastry cream."

In English, it is often simply called Italian pastry cream or Italian custard, and in Italian, it is sometimes nicknamed crema gialla, meaning yellow cream.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Authentic and simple. This crema pasticcera ricetta makes the same silky Italian pastry cream found in traditional pastry shops, using just a handful of everyday ingredients.
• Endlessly versatile. Fill cakes, tarts, cream puffs, and choux pastries, or use it as the base for diplomat cream, crème légère, and Chiboust cream.
• Quick and foolproof. The custard comes together in a few easy steps on the stovetop, with pro tips to keep it smooth and lump-free every time.
• Naturally gluten-free. Thickened with cornstarch instead of flour, this pastry cream suits nearly everyone at the table.
• A pastry staple worth knowing. Once you master it, you can compare it with French pastry cream and chantilly cream to build countless desserts.

Ingredients

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

• Milk: The recipe calls for fresh full-fat milk, but you can replace it with low-fat or semi-skimmed milk (not skim milk) to make the cream lighter. To make it richer, replace part of the whole milk with heavy cream. You can replace milk with vegetable milk (oat, almond, soy, hazelnut, etc.) to make the cream dairy-free.

• Eggs bring flavor and structure to the pastry cream. Opt for fresh free-range eggs for the best results. The color of the pastry cream ranges from pale to intense yellow, depending on the quality of the eggs. Room-temperature eggs are essential in making the recipe.

You may find recipes that use whole eggs, but egg whites make the cream stiffer and interfere with the flavor. Use leftover egg whites to make cake Merveilleux, meringue roulade, or a classic Pavlova.

• Sugar: Use granulated or caster sugar to make the recipe. If desired, you can reduce the amount of sugar and increase the number of vanilla beans to 2 or 3. Using brown sugar to make creamy custard is rare: you will end up with a different color and a distinct cream flavor compared with using white sugar.

• Cornstarch is an essential thickening agent to make crema pasticcera. If desired, you can swap it for all-purpose flour (the cream will be firmer) or rice starch, or amido di riso (the cream will be softer). Also, mix half AP flour and half cornstarch for the ultimate thickening power.

• Vanilla flavor is essential in a classic pastry cream. Opt for freshly scraped vanilla bean seeds, or add ½-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or one tablespoon of vanilla bean paste.

Recipe variations

Crema pasticcera is easy to flavor. For a stronger vanilla note, infuse the milk with the split pod and seeds before cooking. To skip vanilla, infuse the warm milk with one of these instead, then strain it out:

• cinnamon stick
• mint leaves
• verbena
• star anise
• Earl Grey tea
• coffee beans
• orange peel, lemon rind, or other citrus zest

You can also stir dry add-ins, such as cocoa powder or chopped chocolate, into the hot cream, or wet ones, such as Kirsch, Grand Marnier, or dark rum, off the heat. For more ideas, see this French pastry cream recipe.

How to make Italian pastry cream

Step 1: Separate the egg yolks from the whites and place the yolks in a large bowl. Add sugar and cornstarch and mix with a balloon whisk for 10-20 seconds (photo 1).

Step 2: Pour the cold milk and cream into a saucepan. Cut the vanilla pod vertically into two halves with a small, sharp knife, scrape the vanilla seeds with the knife's tip, then add them to the liquids.

Pro tip: For the best results, select a copper pot that outperforms all other pots in terms of heat conductivity. If not, choose a round-bottomed pot that allows for easy whisking of the entire content. (Advice from Fernanda Gosetti, author of Il Dolcissimo)

Step 3: Heat milk and cream over medium heat. When the mixture is almost boiling, pour it into the yolk mixture and continue stirring with the whisk (photo 2).

Pro tip: Ensure to pour milk gradually and whisk continuously: otherwise, the mixture may curdle, resembling sweet scrambled eggs. It is known that egg yolks start to cook at about 140-158°F (60-70°C). 

Step 4: Transfer the custard mixture back to low or very low heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until it reaches a thick, smooth consistency (photo 3).

Pro tip: The cream is ready when it reaches179°F (82°C), at a maximum of 185°F (85°C), if checked with a cooking thermometer.

Step 5: Pass the cream through a fine-mesh sieve 1-2 times to remove the possible lumps. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to press it down.

Step 6: Pour the cream into a bowl or a shallow plate, and cover it in contact with plastic film (photo 4). This helps prevent skin formation on top of the cream. Let it all cool down to room temperature, then use it or refrigerate.

Pro tip: Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl once cooked to stop cooking it in the hot pot.

To use, whisk the custard with a hand whisk to restore the correct consistency.

Expert Tips

1. Cook the cream over low to medium heat, stirring vigorously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Cover the cream with plastic wrap, keeping it in contact to prevent skin from forming on its surface.
3. Don't overcook the cream; otherwise, it may burn and/or taste eggy. Use a cooking thermometer to check the cream's temperature; do not exceed 179°F (82°C), and keep it at 185°F (85°C) or below.
4. To cool the cream faster, use an ice bath. Place the bowl with cream over the bowl with ice and whisk until the cream cools.

Storing & freezing

Store crema pasticcera in a sealed container with plastic wrap directly on the surface in the refrigerator for 2 days (some say up to 4-5 days).

Can you freeze pastry cream? While Italian chef Iginio Massari "permits" a one-month freezing period, I do not recommend freezing pastry cream.

How to use crema pasticcera

This list provides several ways to use Italian pastry cream filling.

• Fill Italian cream puffs, choux à la cream, chouquettes, and other choux pastries.
• Use pastry cream as a filling for puff pastry desserts such as Mimosa cake, cannoncini, vol-au-vent, and millefeuille, as well as morning pastries such as cornetti (Italian croissants) and bomboloni (Italian doughnuts).
• Fill layer cakes such as Italian Pan di Spagna, Genoise cake, Crostata di Frutta and Torta della Nonna.
• Incorporate it into the preparation of semifreddos and puddings, as well as Italian crema Diplomatica, Mousseline, and other creams.

Troubleshooting tips

My pastry cream is lumpy

Reason: The cream can turn lumpy for several reasons: The yolks were in contact with the sugar without stirring for some time, or the sugar cooked the yolks. The flour has not been sifted. The hot milk was poured quickly into the egg yolk and sugar mixture. The preparation wasn't constantly whisked (against the bottom of the pan) while cooking.
Solution: Pass the pastry cream through a strainer a couple of times. You can try to use an immersion blender, but don't over-blend the cream: it might turn into a liquid.

My pastry cream is too thin

Reason: The pastry cream is not cooked enough: you probably stopped cooking below 179°F (82°C).
Solution: Try cooking your pastry cream over low heat for a bit longer (an extra minute or two) until it reaches the desired consistency. Or add 1 ½ soaked and well-drained gelatin sheets to the hot cream out of the heat.

My pastry cream is too thick

Reason: The pastry cream is overcooked, or the ratio of the ingredients is not respected.
Solution: Add cold milk gradually to thin out the cream mixture. Then, whip the cream with a hand whisk until the desired texture.

My pastry cream is grainy

Reason: The pastry cream is overheated and overcooked, resembling scrambled eggs. It means it is curdled at a temperature exceeding 185°F (85°C).
Solution: You can try straining your cream through a fine-mesh sieve, but in most cases it won't fix the cream. The cream has to be redone.

My pastry cream has skin on the surface

Reason: The pastry cream wasn't covered with cling film in contact to prevent skin formation on its surface.
Solution: Try removing the skin from the surface of your cream, then whisk it a few times.

Recipe FAQ

What is the meaning of crema pasticcera?
Crema pasticcera is an Italian pastry cream flavored with vanilla and commonly used to fill various desserts. In English, it is widely known as custard.

What consistency should pastry cream be?
Properly cooked pastry cream should have a pudding-like consistency, thick enough to hold its shape and work as a perfect filling. However, it may not be strong enough for decoration. You can add gelatin to the hot pastry cream to thicken it.

What happens when you overcook pastry cream?
When the pastry cream is overcooked, it forms unsightly lumps or even resembles scrambled eggs. To avoid this outcome, cook the cream up to a maximum temperature of 179°F (82°C).

Can you fix curdled pastry cream?
You can try to strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve a couple of times. If it does not work, the cream was overcooked at above 185°F (85°C) and cannot be revived, so it has to be redone.

What is the difference between crème anglaise and crème pâtissière?
Crema pasticcera is thickened with cornstarch and has a thick, spoonable texture used as a filling, while crème anglaise (crema Inglese in Italian) contains no starch, stays pourable, and is served as a warm dessert sauce.

Love Italian desserts? Try these next.

• Italian Almond Cake
• Italian Carrot Cake
• Italian Shortbread Cookies
• Italian Paradise Cake

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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.