pastry cream
noun
: a thick custard that is made of eggs, sugar, milk, flour or cornstarch, and usually flavoring and that is typically used as a filling for pastries and other baked goods
Once you've become comfortable with the technique for making pastry cream, opportunities abound for the versatile baker's staple. You can use it as a filling for cream puffs, éclairs, fruit tarts, and cakes …—
Kristina Razon
Kristina RazonPastry cream is an anomaly among custards. Although overheating a typical custard can lead to curdling, it's vital to bring pastry cream almost to a boil. Doing so sets the eggs and activates the starch, thereby ensuring a proper consistency.—Bryan Roof
Bryan RoofGuests will go wild for these little pies. They're at once delicate and decadent, the airy puffs of crisp meringue giving way to rich, vanilla-flavored pastry cream and a sprightly mix of fresh fruit.—Lillian Cho
Lillian ChoExamples of pastry cream in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Behind the glass case, jewel-like pastries shimmered, including their signature pink croissant, made without food coloring but instead crafted from AOP butter and Valrhona raspberry chocolate, filled with raspberry coulis and pastry cream.
—Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
LaSalle Bakery offers a traditional pastry cream zeppole as well as ones filled with Baileys Irish Cream custard or chocolate mousse.
—Cindy Salvato, Saveur, 19 Mar. 2025
Finish off with winter citrus pavlova—olive oil cake with yuzu pastry cream, mandarin pate de fruit, and caramelized pistachios.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2025
These supremes — including the strawberry matcha version, filled with strawberry pastry cream and topped with a matcha glaze, strawberry dust, and strawberry pearls — typically sell out in two hours or less.
—Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 12 Mar. 2024
The mango tart that finished my meal had an oat frangipane and coconut pastry cream.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2024
There are mountains of croissants filled with pastry cream and achingly good dulce de leche.
—Rai Mincey, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
The delightful peach roll-up cake had a delicate, moist sponge and coconut pastry cream, while the clove canelé — a riff on the classic French custard pastry — is a mung bean, cassava cake with a crunchy, sugary crust.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024
According to the official tasting notes, the result is a bright whiskey with a malt-forward flavor that has notes of vanilla pastry cream, caramel sauce, and lavender green tea on the palate.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2024
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Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
LaSalle Bakery offers a traditional pastry cream zeppole as well as ones filled with Baileys Irish Cream custard or chocolate mousse.
—Cindy Salvato, Saveur, 19 Mar. 2025
Finish off with winter citrus pavlova—olive oil cake with yuzu pastry cream, mandarin pate de fruit, and caramelized pistachios.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2025
These supremes — including the strawberry matcha version, filled with strawberry pastry cream and topped with a matcha glaze, strawberry dust, and strawberry pearls — typically sell out in two hours or less.
—Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 12 Mar. 2024
The mango tart that finished my meal had an oat frangipane and coconut pastry cream.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2024
There are mountains of croissants filled with pastry cream and achingly good dulce de leche.
—Rai Mincey, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
The delightful peach roll-up cake had a delicate, moist sponge and coconut pastry cream, while the clove canelé — a riff on the classic French custard pastry — is a mung bean, cassava cake with a crunchy, sugary crust.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024
According to the official tasting notes, the result is a bright whiskey with a malt-forward flavor that has notes of vanilla pastry cream, caramel sauce, and lavender green tea on the palate.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Pastry cream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pastry%20cream. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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