Coffee Pastry Cream
This Coffee Pastry Cream, is an easy Italian recipe, it makes an amazing filling for cakes or even pies. Made with a strong coffee, fresh cream, egg yolks and milk. It will take your favorite recipes to the next level!
I used to be very intimated making pastry cream but this recipe is practically fool proof. It’s quick, easy and so delicious. I love to use it as a filling for Pies and Pastries. The only thing is you need to give it all your attention!
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk – whole milk
- Cream – whole, whipping or heavy cream
- Coffee – I use espresso but as long as it is strong and it can be decaffeinated
- Egg yolks – room temperature egg yolks
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Sugar – fine sugar
What is fine sugar?
Fine or Caster sugar is slightly finer and dissolves more easily than regular granulated sugar. You can substitute it at a 1 for 1 basis or you can make your own fine sugar just by blending granulated sugar until fine.
What are room temperature eggs?
Eggs should not be left at normal room temperature (68F- 70F/ 20C – 21C) for more than two hours or if your house is warmer no more than one hour. This is according to the FDA.
A quicker way to achieve room temperature eggs is to place the eggs in the shell in a bowl of warm or very warm water (not boiling or very hot) for 5 minutes, make sure the water is covering them, and then you will have room temperature eggs.
How to make Coffee Pastry Cream
On medium heat, heat the milk, cream and coffee in a medium saucepan or pot until hot but do not boil, let cool to warm.
In a medium pot add the egg yolks and sugar whisk to combine, whisk in the flour.
Place the pot over low/medium heat, slowly add the warm milk mixture and continue whisking (don’t stop until very thick).
Pour into a clean bowl cover with plastic wrap, make sure the plastic wrap touches the pastry cream, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.
Beat the refrigerated cream before using to bring it make to its creaminess.
Flavor Variations
There are so many delicious ways to flavor your Italian pastry filling, lemon is just one of them. Try these other varieties to mix it up!
- Vanilla pastry cream: Omit the lemon and use only the vanilla extract or use ½ teaspoon of vanilla paste or vanilla bean for a more concentrated flavor. This Classic Pastry Cream has all the directions.
- Lemon: This easy Lemon Pastry Cream is made with lemon zest .
- Dark chocolate: Skip the lemon and stir in 2 ounces of melted and cooled dark chocolate. Follow my chocolate pastry cream directions to see how it’s done!
- Liqueurs: Add 1-2 tablespoons of Limoncello, La strega Liqueur or Cointreau Liqueur.
- Fruit puree: Stir in your favorite fruit puree to add a different flavor.
- Pumpkin: For a seasonal variation, try this pumpkin pastry cream.
Tips to make the perfect Pastry Cream
- Use only room temperature egg yolks.
- Stir continously.
- Mix dry ingredients before turning on the heat.
- Heat the (liquids) milk and cream until hot but do not boil.
- Make sure you have about 10-15 minutes of non interrupted stirring time, don’t stop stirring!
- Immediately place thickened cream in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, make sure it touches the Pastry Cream.
- Be sure to refrigerate the cream for at least 2-3 hours before using.
- Beat the refrigerated pastry cream for about 30 seconds before using.
And maybe one of the biggest tips Don’t throw away those egg whites, make some Lingue Di Gatto or even some Meringue Cookies or how about a nice light omelet?
Fun Ways to Use It
It makes an excellent filling for bigne, which is an Italian cream puff or use it in tarts such as pasticciotti or even for filling tarts. Make it lighter by combining it with some whipped cream.
What is the difference between custard cream and pastry cream?
The two are very similar hence the confusion but pastry cream is actually thicker, so thick that you could actually eat it with a spoon like pudding! Custard cream is often served warm and is a bit runnier.
How long will Pastry Cream last in the Refrigerator?
The pastry cream will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Be sure to use fresh milk that has a longer expiry date.
Can it be frozen?
Never freeze pastry cream because it will never have the same creamy texture once it is thawed.
I hope you enjoy this Coffee Pastry Cream. I would love to know what you decide to use it for. Enjoy!
Coffee Pastry Cream
Equipment
- 2 medium pots
- whisk
- Heat resistant bowl
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk whole/heavy
- ¾ cup cream whole/whipping or heavy cream with at least 30% fat content
- 4 large egg yolks room temperature
- 5-7 tablespoons strong coffee
- 3½ tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- On medium heat, heat the milk, cream and coffee in a medium saucepan or pot until hot but do not boil, let cool to warm.
- In a medium pot add the egg yolks and sugar whisk to combine, whisk in the flour.
- Place the pot over low/medium heat, slowly add the warm milk mixture and continue whisking (don’t stop until very thick).
- Transfer the pastry cream into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, make sure the plastic wrap touches the pastry cream, refrigerate for at least 3 hours or even better overnight, before using.
- Beat the refrigerated cream before using to bring it make to its creaminess.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from May 2, 2016.
Is this stiff enough to put in a layer cake? If not, can I add any more flour to make it stiffer? Also would you recommend doubling the recipe for this purpose? Thank you
Hi Jas, for me it comes out very thick, just make sure while cooking you let it thicken up enough without burning, just keep stirring and refrigerate that will thicken it more. Don’t add extra flour, that won’t help it will just give it a floury taste. And yes you can double it, but remember the cake will have to be refrigerated because of the cream. Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes.
So very yummy! I added more powdered coffee in the milk/cream/espresso to make it very, very coffee flavored.
Great texture.
Hi Matea, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Made this today. Taste great! Thank you so much for sharing this!
Thanks Ky, glad you liked it. Have a great weekend.
Oh my gosh, this was so easy to make and sooo delicious! I used it as a filling for croissants dusted with a little powdered sugar and also dipped one end in chocolate.(I usually pay $36 for 2 of these same croissants so you have saved me lots). Thanks for the recipe and I feel much more confident to try different things.
Hi Kaye, thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Wow, that price is outrageous. Good for you, the more you try the more confident you will become. Have a great weekend.
It’s pure heaven. 😍 Going to fill my ecclairs with it. Also much appreciated that you put ingredient measurements in grams and milliliters, being a European, baking with cups and teaspoons is a pain. 😂
Hi Ugne, Thanks so much, so glad you like it. And yes to tell the truth metric measurements are much easier! Happy New Year.
What kind of cream is used in the recipe? Could it be made with all milk? Also, can vanilla be added?
Hi Jillian, it should be whole or whipping cream (30% or more fat content). I have never made it with all milk so I wouldn’t advise it. You could add vanilla, add it when add the flour. Hope that helps.
Ok so how well does this bake into a pastry does it cook up or runny when in the oven? Also could a person add alittle almond paste to it to give it a thicker consistency
Hi Crystl I bake the regular pastry cream in the Pasticiotti and it does not turn runny at all. Instead of adding almond paste maybe you could remove a tablespoon of milk and cream or remove 1 1/2 tablespoons of coffee. Hope that helps.
Yes thank you! I’m trying it today for our biz it’s a coffee bakery and this will be my first coffee flavored pastry. Should I let the mixture cool before putting it in the pastry to bake or could I skip that and add to it.
Hi Crystl you should definitely let it cool and thicken in the fridge for a couple of hours before using. Hope that helps.
How long can I keep this in the fridge?
Hi Nish, it will last 2-3 days in the fridge. Hope that helps.
How much of the 1 cup of coffee pastry cream constitutes a serving…685 calories per serving seems high unless each serving is the entire cup.
Hi Rose, the amount of calories is for the whole cup, so you would just divide it by how many servings you are using it for. Hope that helps.
The coffee in the recipe…is it ground coffee or brewed coffee?
Hi Lori it’s strong brewed coffee. Hope that helps. 🙂
Umm flour? Or cornflour? (Cornstarch)
My cream went really thick and glue like, not custardy like a pastry cream?
Tasted awesome, but devil to work with or pipe.
Hi Hugh, it’s regular all purpose flour, next time cook it a little less that should make it less thick.
Sounds delicious and perfect to creat a tiramisu flavor!
Thanks Karen sounds good to me! Have a great weekend.
Oh my gosh, I was literally just looking up recipes for Boston cream pie this morning. This coffee pastry cream would be amazing in the middle! Definitely going to try this soon!
Hi Lucy, thanks, and wow that would be a great dessert.
Oh the options are endless as to what to do with this coffee cream. I love it!
Hi Kristen, haha thanks so many pasta dishes.
Holy cow, this sounds AMAZING. I love real pastry cream, and I love coffee flavored things. You’re a genius.
Hi Nikki, haha thanks, it’s really quite delicate and tasted amazing. (if I do say so myself 🙂 )
I’ve never heard of coffee pastry cream before! I love pastries, though, so I’d be willing to try this! (I am actually not a huge coffee fan, but actually enjoy a coffee flavor when it’s used to flavor desserts, etc.) It’s been fun participating in this blog hop with you!
Hi Lauren, thanks and yes it has been fun, hope you try the cream.