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Piped raspberry pastry cream in small glass bowl.

Raspberry Pastry Cream

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This raspberry pastry cream made using frozen raspberries will add a burst of fruity flavor to your desserts all year round! The perfect filling for choux buns, eclairs and tarts.

Raspberry pastry cream

Ingredients

  • Raspberries: I’m using frozen raspberries in this recipe. I find them more convenient since you can just store them in the freezer and thaw whenever needed. It’s best to thaw them overnight but if you forget, you could briefly heat them in the microwave or on the stovetop. Depending on the raspberries, you might need to adjust the amount used slightly. You need enough to end up with 170 g/6 oz. (3/4 cup) of strained raspberry juice.
  • Milk: Whole milk, for richness and creaminess. The milk will serve as the liquid part of the recipe along with the raspberry juice. I prefer using a little more raspberry juice than milk for a deeper, fruitier flavor.
  • Sugar: White granulated sugar, to sweeten the pastry cream. Feel free to adjust the amount used depending on the raspberries and your preference. The ones I use aren’t sweet at all so I have to balance out the sourness with a generous amount of sugar.
  • Egg yolks: To thicken the pastry cream, add flavor and richness.
  • Cornstarch: The cornstarch will also act as a thickening agent along with the egg yolks. You can adjust the amount depending on how firm you’d like the pastry cream to be. The amount used in the recipe will yield a soft pastry cream.
  • Butter: For even more richness and flavor. You can leave the butter out if you prefer but using it yields a creamier, silkier pastry cream.
Overhead shot of raspberry pastry cream ingredients.
Raspberry pastry cream ingredients

Step-by-Step Instructions

  • We’ll first start by straining the raspberries to get rid of the seeds. Place them in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and press down with the back of a spoon as much as possible. This shouldn’t take more than 7 minutes. If it does, try using another strainer with slightly larger holes to save you some time.

  • Next let’s heat together the milk and part of the sugar in a saucepan.
  • While you’re waiting, you can whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl until combined.

  • Add the cornstarch and mix once more to combine and break up any lumps.

  • Pour the strained raspberry juice over the egg mixture and whisk until incorporated.

  • Then gradually add the hot milk in a thin stream, stirring constantly.
  • Return everything to the saucepan.

  • Then place over medium heat and keep whisking! Once it starts to thicken, keep an eye out for bubbles then let it boil for a minute and remove from the heat.
  • Whisk in the cold, diced butter.

  • Then pour into a wide container and spread in a thin layer (to cool down quickly).
  • Place a piece of parchment paper or cling film straight onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Cool down slightly at room temperature then chill until set.

Briefly whisk it when needed and use it to fill your choux buns, eclairs, tartlets or whatever your heart desires! Enjoy!

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Raspberry Pastry Cream

Raspberry Pastry Cream

Recipe by Tanya
0.0 from 0 votes

This raspberry pastry cream made using frozen raspberries will add a burst of fruity flavor to your desserts all year round! The perfect filling for choux buns, eclairs and tarts.

Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy
Yield

470

grams
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Chill time

2

hours 

Ingredients

  • 300 g frozen unsweetened raspberries (10.6 oz.), thawed

  • 120 g whole milk (4.2 oz., 1/2 cup)

  • 130 g white granulated sugar (4.6 oz., 2/3 cup, or to taste), divided

  • 3 large egg yolks (about 50 g/1.8 oz.), at room temperature

  • 25 g cornstarch (0.9 oz., about 3 Tablespoons)

  • 40 g unsalted butter (1.4 oz., 3 Tablespoons), diced and cold

Directions

  • Set aside a wide heatproof container for the cooked pastry cream. I use a 22 x 17 cm oven dish (about 9 x 7 inch).
  • Place the thawed raspberries in a fine mesh strainer set over a medium-sized bowl. Gently press down the berries with the back of a large spoon to release as much juice as possible into the bowl. Don’t forget to scrape the underside of the strainer as well (with another spoon if desired). You should get 170 g (6 oz.) of juice/strained puree (discard the seeds or save for another use). Set aside.
  • Heat together the milk and part of the sugar (about 1/4) in a small saucepan until steaming.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl until combined. Tip: Whisk as soon as you add the sugar to the egg yolks to avoid “cooking” the yolks and getting lumps.
  • Add the cornstarch and mix once more to combine and break up any lumps.
  • Pour the strained raspberry juice over the egg mixture and whisk until incorporated.
  • Gradually add the hot milk in a thin stream, stirring constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  • Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. When the pastry cream starts to thicken (about 7 minutes), lower the heat if needed and check for bubbles forming (stop whisking occasionally to check). Once you see the bubbles, let it boil for about one minute (to get rid of any starchy taste) and remove from the heat.
  • Add the cold, diced butter and whisk until completely smooth.
  • Pour into prepared container and spread in a thin layer (to cool down quickly). Optional: If you notice lumps in the pastry cream, strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over the container.
  • Place a piece of parchment paper or cling film straight onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Cool down slightly at room temperature (about 10 minutes) then chill for at least 2 hours or until set. Briefly whisk before using. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Yield: This recipe will yield about 470 g/16.6 oz. of pastry cream (1 and 1/2 cups).
  • Make-ahead tips: Pastry cream will keep in the fridge, well covered, for up to 2 days.
  • Raspberries: It’s best to thaw them overnight but if you forget, you could briefly heat them in the microwave or on the stovetop. Depending on the raspberries, you might need to adjust the amount used slightly. You need enough to make 170 g/6 oz. (3/4 cup) of strained raspberry juice/puree.
  • Sugar: Feel free to adjust the amount used depending on the raspberries and your preference. The ones I use aren’t sweet at all so I have to balance out the sourness with a generous amount of sugar.
  • Cornstarch: You can adjust the amount depending on how firm you’d like the pastry cream to be. The amount used in the recipe will yield a soft pastry cream.
  • Straining the raspberries (step 2): This shouldn’t take more than 7 minutes. If it does, try using another strainer with slightly larger holes to save you some time.
  • Cup measurements: Please note that these measurements are approximate. For best results, I’d recommend weighing the ingredients, especially the cornstarch.
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