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Pastry Cream Filling for Boston Cream Pie

  • Yield Makes enough for one 9-inch cake
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and 1/4 cup sugar over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar until well combined. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Whisk in cornstarch, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. While whisking egg mixture constantly, slowly add 1 cup of the heated milk to the egg mixture. Strain this mixture into milk remaining in saucepan. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil, 4 to 6 minutes.
  2. Transfer to a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap against the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

Recipe Reviews

Reviews (16)

  • Jenna Trapani
    3 Feb, 2013

    Ugh... I'm never, ever, ever, EVER making anything without first reading the reviews EVER AGAIN! I think it's just too much corn starch that's causing the problem. I tried saving it by adding more milk, sugar, and vanilla, and then beating the crap out of it with my mixer. But even then, the taste was not at all up to par.

  • Shauna Startzel
    11 Jan, 2013

    Gosh darn it! I usually pay attention to the reviews. I sure wish I had, because I have the same darn rubbery mess as everyone else!!! Sucks!

  • Candace Aston
    14 Aug, 2012

    scratch that comment, my cream too turned rubbery, it was fine going from pot to bowl, but once i took it out of fridge i could use it to make rubber balls. I threw it out and started fresh however no offense to the fabulous martha... i went with the good old fashion betty crocker recipe in my good old fashion betty crocker cookbook...it turned out wonderful. sorry but i have to go with Alexis, whatever martha!!!

  • Candace Aston
    14 Aug, 2012

    I thought the creme turned out exactly like video and tasted very good.

  • Felecia Dispense
    2 Jul, 2012

    What a waste of time. Why doesn't the written recipe match the video at ALL? I'll try again tomorrow, video version.

  • Felecia Dispense
    2 Jul, 2012

    What a waste of time. Why doesn't the written recipe match the video at ALL? I'll try again tomorrow, video version.

  • Chef Jill
    19 May, 2012

    Agreed, 6 T is WAY TO MUCH. 3 T was not quite enough - it was not strong enough to hold the top layer and icing. I would suggest 4 T.

  • illag
    6 Apr, 2012

    I agree with the majority here-- 6 tbsp is an insane amount of cornstarch! This turned out like cold, lumpy, firm Cream of Wheat. To use in a Boston Creme Pie, simple vanilla pudding would work better (the Everyday Food vanilla pudding recipe works).
    To save this I had to run it through a sieve twice. After chilling it was too hard, so I cut it with milk, warmed it, passed it through the sieve two more times, and just dealt with the crappy result. I should have tossed it, honestly.

  • laroberts
    15 Mar, 2011

    I also suggest cutting the cornstarch to 3 T. Mine had to be cut with a knife and would not spread!

  • weezie1014
    15 Feb, 2010

    thank you for your comments! i started out with six and got this rubbery mixture. but then i tried three and it was great!

  • yumyumcake
    23 Nov, 2009

    I followed the recipe exactly as written (using all 6 tablespoons of cornstarch), and the results were terrific. It was easy to make, the consistency was perfect, it tasted delicious, and it made a great filling for my cake.

  • mssegal
    11 Mar, 2009

    the six table spoons is a typo, it is only three tablespoons of corn starch,I have made pastry custard / cream for years and I never use more than three tablespoons unless I am making a double batch.

  • msoup
    28 Jul, 2008

    I also had the same result as the previous comment - followed the recipe to a T and ended up with thick and rubbery cream. I used the pastry cream recipe for the other Boston Cream Pie (holiday 2002 I think) on this site for my second attempt and it was perfect.

  • MBR
    7 Jul, 2008

    I made this pastry cream to fill the Boston Cream Pie. It came out hard and rubbery. I thought 6 Tablespoons of cornstarch sounded like a lot! I wonder if that was a typo? I would probably use half as much next time, or find another recipe!

  • mmsrjs
    8 Mar, 2008

    LOOKED UP TWO OTHER PASTRY CREAM RECIPES AND THEY CALLED FOR A PINCH OF SALT. SAW IN ANOTHER PLACE WHERE A LADY ANSWERED ABOUT THE SAME QUESTION AS YOU HAVE AND SHE SAID 1/8 TSP.

  • MelindaSue
    20 Feb, 2008

    This recipe calls for 1 salt. Is that 1 tsp or is there a fraction missing? Help!