Pastry Cream 101: Crème Pat, Diplomate & Mousseline

Ingredients

• milk (for the hot mix)
• egg yolks (whisked)
• sugar
• cornstarch
• butter (for finishing the pastry cream)
• gelatin (for Crème Diplomate variation)
• whipped cream (for Crème Diplomate variation)
• butter (extra for Crème Mousseline variation)

Steps

1. 1

   Whisk the egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until combined.

2. 2

   Heat the milk in a pan until hot.

3. 3

   Temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring in a portion of the hot milk while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.

4. 4

   Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pan with the remaining hot milk.

5. 5

   Cook over heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbling.

6. 6

   Once bubbling, continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes more to cook out the starch.

7. 7

   Remove from heat and finish by whisking in bits of butter.

8. 8

   Strain the cream through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any bits of cooked egg, ensuring a silky texture.

9. 9

   Spread the cream out (e.g., on a tray) so it cools faster. This is your base Crème Pâtissière.

10. 10

    To make Crème Diplomate: Combine the pastry cream with gelatin and fold in whipped cream until light and fluffy.

11. 11

    To make Crème Mousseline: Beat the pastry cream with additional butter until rich and pipeable.

Notes

Pastry cream is best used for fruit tarts and eclairs. Diplomate is ideal for mille-feuille and filled doughnuts. Mousseline is best for Paris-Brest and decorative piping. Exact quantities were not provided in the source text; estimates are based on standard ratios.

Nutrition per serving

• pastry
• dessert
• baking
• cream
• filling
• french pastry
• technique