The Best French Desserts to Make with Pastry Cream

French cuisine is renowned for its delectable desserts, and pastry cream, or crème pâtissière, plays a pivotal role in many of these sweet delights. It’s a rich and smooth custard made from milk, sugar, eggs, and cornstarch, often flavored with vanilla and used as a filling or base in various pastries. Here’s a look at some of the best French desserts that you can create using this versatile ingredient.

1. Éclairs

Éclairs are quintessentially French and are loved for their light, airy choux pastry filled with pastry cream. To make éclairs, prepare choux dough and pipe it into long strips before baking. Once cooled, fill with vanilla pastry cream and glaze with chocolate icing for a perfect finish.

2. Profiteroles

Similar to éclairs but round in shape, profiteroles are delightful cream puffs filled with pastry cream, whipped cream, or ice cream. After baking the choux pastry, fill the puffs generously with pastry cream, and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce for an indulgent dessert.

3. Tarte Tropézienne

This stunning dessert hails from the South of France and features a sweet brioche filled with a luscious vanilla pastry cream. After preparing the brioche dough and letting it rise, bake it until golden. Slice it in half and generously fill it with pastry cream, then sprinkle the top with pearl sugar to complete this coastal delight.

4. Cream Puffs (Choux à la crème)

Cream puffs are delightful little treats that are light yet satisfying. Simply make choux pastry, bake the puffs until golden and hollow, then fill them with vanilla pastry cream. Dust with powdered sugar for a simple yet impressive presentation.

5. Saint-Honoré Cake

This classic French cake is a celebration of all things pastry cream! The base is made of puff pastry topped with choux pastry balls that are filled with pastry cream. Coat the choux with caramel and arrange them around a layer of pastry cream filling in the center, all sitting atop a puff pastry base.

6. Napoléon (Mille-Feuille)

The Napoléon, also known as Mille-Feuille, features layers of flaky puff pastry and rich pastry cream. Traditionally composed of three layers of pastry separated by layers of cream, this dessert is finished off with a drizzle of icing or chocolate on top. Each bite offers a satisfying crunch along with creamy indulgence.

7. Bavarois

Bavarois is a silky, chilled dessert that combines pastry cream with gelatin and whipped cream for a light finish. It can be flavored with fruit purees or chocolate for extra flair. Mold it into fun shapes or serve in elegant individual cups for a refined dessert option.

8. Paris-Brest

This circular choux pastry dessert, created to commemorate a bicycle race from Paris to Brest, is filled with hazelnut pastry cream. The choux pastry ring is baked to a golden brown, sliced open, and filled with pastry cream, topped with sliced almonds for added texture and flavor.

These desserts highlight the versatility of pastry cream in French patisserie. From elegant éclairs to rich Napoléons, using pastry cream can elevate your baking and offer a taste of France right in your kitchen. Try your hand at these classic recipes, and indulge in the rich tradition of French desserts.