Creme Diplomate (Diplomat Cream)

Diplomat Cream, or Crème Diplomate in French, is one of those classic creams of French origin used for filling cream puffs, cakes, puff pastries, etc. Made with French pastry cream, gelatin, and whipped cream, it is easy and delicious. 

After learning the basic techniques in making French pastry cream and sugar-free whipped cream, it is time to immerse yourself in learning more intricate and delicate techniques.

Jump to:

• What is Diplomat cream?
• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• Flavor variations
• How to make French Diplomat cream
• Expert Tips
• Storing and freezing
• How to use crème Diplomate
• Troubleshooting
• Recipe FAQ
• Looking for more cream recipes? Try these next!
• Recipe card
• Comments

Making one of the most delicious French creams, the Diplomat cream is a part of the prestigious CAP Pâtissier program in France as well as other esteemed culinary schools.

Mastering a delectable French Diplomat cream is also both an art and entertainment for passionate home bakers worldwide.

What is Diplomat cream?

Diplomat cream, also called Crème Diplomate in French, is a basic French cream filling made with French pastry cream (crème pâtissière), gelatin, and whipped cream.

You may also hear other names, such as whipped pastry cream, pastry cream with whipped cream, or whipped pastry cream, meaning the same Diplomat cream.

But don't confuse Crème Diplomate with Crème Madame:

• Creme Diplomate has gelatine added to the party cream or Creme Pat, for extra stability and firmness.
• Creme Madame has no added gelatine, making it lighter than Diplomat cream.

Why you should try this recipe

• This vanilla Diplomat cream recipe is easy and quick enough to prepare.

• The cream is made with a few simple ingredients with the option to enhance the flavor and taste.

• The recipe makes a smooth, creamy filling with a light and airy texture.

• It is the best cream for cake filling. It is used for garnishing numerous cakes such as the "number cakes," strawberry layer cake, tarte Tropézienne, a Mille-feuille, choux pastry desserts, etc.

Ingredients

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

• Milk: The pastry cream recipe calls for whole milk. To make it lighter, replace it with low-fat or semi-skimmed milk, but avoid skim milk.

Use half of the milk and half of the heavy cream for a richer version. To vary, or for a dairy-free version, you can replace some or all of the milk with coconut or other plant-based milk (unflavored).

• Vanilla bean or gousse de vanille brings a beautiful flavor to the vanilla pastry cream and the finished product - Diplomat cream. Alternatively, you can use vanilla extract (extrait de vanille) or vanilla paste.

• Sugar: The recipe calls for granulated or caster sugar.

• Cornstarch works as a thickener to make creme patissiere. You can replace it with all-purpose flour, the same as plain flour in the UK, for the firmer texture of the cream.

Equally, you can use potato starch or a mix of flour and cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio. The custard cream made with only cornstarch has a lighter texture, though.

• Eggs provide the flavor and structure of the pastry cream. Use either egg yolks or jaunes d'oeufs or replace them with whole large eggs to make the cream lighter. Make sure to bring eggs to room temperature.

• Gelatin sheets or feuilles de gélatine are used to stabilize creme Diplomate. You can use powdered gelatin if desired. The thickness of the final cream depends on the amount of gelatin used.

You can switch gelatin for agar-agar used in an amount of 3 times less than gelatin. To activate the gelling action of the agar-agar, add it to the milk and let it boil for a minute. Then proceed with the recipe.

• Heavy cream is an essential ingredient in the recipe. Opt for "heavy cream" or "heavy whipping cream" with at least 30% fat content. If you live in the UK, use double cream.

If you want to use a dairy-free cream alternative, ensure it contains enough fat to whip it up.

Flavor variations

How to get creative with Diplomat Cream? You can play with pastry cream flavors by adding some ingredients. Let's try some unique flavor variations to find your signature recipe.

Infuse milk

You can infuse the milk with flavors other than vanilla. For example, use star anise, cinnamon sticks (for making cinnamon Diplomat cream), mint, basil, tea, coffee beans (to make coffee Diplomat cream), or citrus zest.

Let the boiled milk covered with a lid stay out of the heat for about 30 minutes. Then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve and continue with the recipe.

Add chocolate

To make chocolate Diplomat cream, use dark chocolate, about 10% of the weight of the pastry cream ingredients (not counting the heavy cream).

Break the chocolate into small pieces and add it to the hot pastry cream out of the heat and mix it. Then add gelatin and mix well again.

Add alcohol

If you want to flavor your cream with alcohol, add dark rum, Grand Marnier, or other liquor, about 8% of the weight of the final pastry cream. Add alcohol to the pastry cream out of the heat before adding the whipped cream.

Add fruit puree

You can incorporate a fruit puree of your choice, pistachio, or hazelnut paste, about 8% of the weight of the final pastry cream. Add puree or nut paste before adding the whipped cream.

Add butter

Some pastry chefs add unsalted butter to the pastry cream for a gourmet taste. The final cream will become richer if you add 1 oz. (30 g) of cold butter before adding the gelatin (out of the heat).

But if you want to make light Diplomat cream, stick with the present recipe.

How to make French Diplomat cream

The key to the success of Diplomat Cream is to respect the order of ingredients, cream-making steps, and chilling time. Creme Diplomate is made in three simple steps:

1. Making French pastry cream;
2. Making whipped cream;
3. Incorporation of the whipped cream into the pastry cream.

Make the classic pastry cream

Consult the French pastry cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.

Place gelatine sheets to soften in a large bowl with cold water (grand bol d'eau froide) for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks with icing (powdered) sugar with a hand whisk until whitish. Then add cornstarch and whisk again.

Split the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds using a knife. Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the vanilla pod split in half and vanilla bean seeds. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.

Expert tip: Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave it to infuse for about 20-30 minutes if time permits. 

Pour the hot milk mixture over the egg yolk/sugar mixture, stirring vigorously with the whisk. Pour everything back into the saucepan, and cook over low heat, constantly stirring, until the cream thickens (30 seconds to a minute).

Expert tip: Don't stop stirring while cooking the cream to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Pour the pastry cream into a shallow dish and remove the vanilla pod.

Expert tip: If you see cream lumps, pass the cream through a fine-mesh sieve, or use an immersion blender. Otherwise, omit this step.

Add the softened and well-drained gelatin and mix well (photo 2).

Expert tip: Gelatin must be added with the pastry cream off the heat.

Cover the dish with plastic film or film alimentaire on contact. The film must touch the surface of the cream to prevent skin formation. Leave it to cool to room temperature without refrigerating it.

Attention: Some recipes recommend chilling the pastry cream for at least 2-3 hours, sometimes overnight, as a make-ahead option. Prolonged chilling of the pastry cream leads to an extensive gelatin set, making the cream too thick and difficult to work with.

Make whipped cream

Consult the whipped cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.

Place the bowl of a stand mixer or bol du robot and the whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove the chilled bowl and beater from the freezer, and pour a very cold cream.

Whip it at medium speed into soft peaks; you can use an electric hand mixer if desired.

Expert tip: The goal is to incorporate the air into the whipped cream but not reach stiff peaks. Try to avoid high speed with whipping the cream.

Make creme Diplomate

Transfer the pastry cream to a clean mixing bowl and whip it for a few moments.

Expert tip: Pass the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve for a finer and smoother finished cream, although it is optional.

Gently fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the pastry cream with a rubber spatula. Then add the remaining whipped cream and gently mix, working in the same direction and lifting the cream from the bottom of the bowl.

Transfer the ready Diplomat cream to a pastry bag with a decorating tip and use it immediately. Or keep it in a closed piping bag in the refrigerator. 

Expert Tips

1. To prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, add a bit of sugar to the empty pan, then pour the milk.
2. Ensure to cook the pastry cream over low heat, stirring it constantly to prevent burning.
3. Using the gelatine powder, follow the package instruction for the amount of water needed and the time required to bloom. Then, add the gelatin mixture to the warm pastry cream.
4. Cover the cream with plastic wrap in contact to prevent skin formation on the surface of the cream.
5. If the final cream seems soft, refrigerate it for about 1-2 hours before using it.

Storing and freezing

Due to its dairy nature, the cream is fragile enough; you cannot keep it at room temperature (not above 68°F or 20°C) for longer than 30 minutes.

However, you can store the Diplomate cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Can you freeze creme Diplomate? Unfortunately, it doesn't stand freezing well, but you can freeze cakes, cupcakes, or choux pastries filled with Diplomat cream. Used in desserts, you can freeze it for up to 1 month.

How to use crème Diplomate

With vanilla Diplomat Cream, the dessert options become endless, from fluffy cakes and cupcakes to creamy pies and tarts. It is used to

• garnish a "number cake"
• fill and decorate a layered sponge cake and cupcakes
• garnish Mille-feuille and tarte Tropezienne
• fill choux pastry desserts such as chouquettes, choux a la cream, eclaires
• make a verine dessert with fresh fruit or fresh fruit tarts
• use it instead of the crème mousseline or whipped chocolate ganache

Troubleshooting

1. Pastry cream is too runny

Reason: The pastry cream isn't cooked enough.

Solution: Bring your pastry cream over low heat for 1-2 minutes, constantly stirring, until the desired consistency. 

2. Pastry cream is too thick (before adding gelatin)

Reason: The pastry cream is overcooked.

Solution: Add cold milk gradually to thin out the cream, mixing and checking for the right consistency.

3. Pastry cream is gelled

Reason: The pastry cream was cooled for too long when the gelatin was set, and the cream now looks "stuck."

Solution: Bring the pastry cream for 30 seconds in the microwave at 50% power, and give it a whiplash.

4. Pastry cream is lumpy

Reason: You either poured the hot milk into the egg mixture quickly or stirred the cream irregularly.

Solution: Pass the pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer or try to use an immersion blender with caution: it may turn the cream into liquid.

5. Heavy cream doesn't reach soft peaks

Reason: You probably used the liquid cream with a fat content of less than 30%, or the cream isn't cold enough for whipping.

Solution: If the cream of the right fat content (at least 30%), bring it to the freezer for 10-15 minutes, then whip it.

6. Heavy cream is too thick

Reason: The cream is probably overwhipped or reached the stage of stiff peaks.

Solution: At this stage, it is impossible to save the cream, so whip another batch of cream to finish the Diplomat cream. Next time, watch out for the whipped cream consistency closely, and stop the mixer at the stage of soft peaks.

7. Unable to fold in cream with pastry cream

Reason: You either has issues with pastry cream (too runny, too thick, or lumpy) or whipped cream (too thin or too thick).

To find the answer to why your pastry cream is not as desired, consult the troubleshooting section of the French pastry cream recipe.

For questions about how to make whipped cream and troubleshooting, refer to the sugar-free whipped cream recipe.

8. Diplomat cream is too soft

Reason: You either omitted gelatin or added less gelatin than required.

Solution: Bring the bowl with cream covered with plastic wrap to the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to thicken the cream. Next time, try to add more gelatin for more firmness of the Diplomat cream.

9. Diplomat cream is too thick

Reason: You might use too much gelatin, too much cream, or whipped cream till medium-high peaks.

Solution: At this stage, unfortunately, you cannot change the consistency of the final cream. Next time, check the amount of gelatin and heavy cream used in the recipe. Also, make sure to whip up the cream until it forms soft peaks.

In the end, you can control the fluffiness of the Diplomat cream by the amount of the cream content and the cream's firmness by the amount of gelatine.

Recipe FAQ

Looking for more cream recipes? Try these next!

With countless cream recipes on the website, you'll never be in doubt about which cake or tart filling to use for your next baking adventure.

• Chocolate Whipped Cream
• French Chantilly Cream
• Crème Légère
• Bavarian Cream

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Recipe card

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.