I intend to make a millefeuille for a desert do you think this pastry cream works with the millefeuille ?? any ideas of whether should I pipe it on top of the puff pastry before or after chilling?

Also does anybody here have a recipe for the frosting on top ?

Sorry forgot to ask can I make the millefeuille ahead of time and chill it ??

This pastry cream will work fine for millefeuille. The pastry cream must be chilled before placing it on the pastry; if piped on warm or hot, the pastry will become soggy. Chill it and then whisk it until smooth before piping.

You can make the dessert a bit a head of time, so it chills properly, but keep in mind, the longer it is stored in the refrigerator, the softer the pastry will get. For the best results, I would assemble it and eat it within the same day.

In terms of the icing, you can try following this procedure for how to make fondant. Hope this helps!

Thank you very much Kimberly this was really helpful .

It looks a lot like the first part could be easily done in mixer, it wouldn't make a difference, right? Also, could this be done over a double boiler? I'd hate to have my attention broken for one second and find it scorched. Or would it just take to long? Oh, and what kinds of things do you fill with this?

I suppose you could use a mixer or a stand mixer with a wire whisk attachment to do the first part. Some cooks make custards over a double boiler but they will take longer. I haven't tried this method myself with pastry cream. If you keep the heat low enough and you tend to it, you won't have any problems and it will be a lot faster. I say experiment to find which method you prefer.

As for what to fill - tarts, any type of puff pastry, cakes, profiteroles...the list is endless.

I've been in the market for a saucier to make similar recipes. Does anyone have any idea what size saucier would work best for this recipe?

For this recipe, I would recommend a around a 2 or 2.5 quart (8 to 10 cups) pot. Cheers!

Kimberly,
Thanks for the suggestion. The 2qt saucier I picked up worked perfectly. I'll be using it in a Gateau Basque (fingers crossed).

Glad to hear. Mmmmmmm - Gateau Basque. I could eat a piece right now! :)

Can this be used with coffee cake dough as a filling with fruit and baked?

Possibly it could be used for this but unfortunately, I am not totally familiar with "coffee cake dough" so I am not entirely sure. Perhaps someone else would have some insight for you. Cheers!

How long will the pastry cream last in the refrigerator? Also must the eggs be room temperature?

Pastry cream will last up to about four days in the refrigerator. The eggs do not need to be at room temperature to make pastry cream. Cheers!

I suppose the purpose of the cornstarch is to act as a thickener. Is there a way this could work without cornstarch?

You can use equal amounts of flour instead of cornstarch to make pastry cream. Some say that cornstarch give it a nicer mouth feel and shine but if you add a touch of butter at the end you will likely not even notice a difference. Hope that helps. Cheers!

7 tbsp or 7 tsp cuose i made this with 7 tbsp and got very thick,,,,

7 tablespoons is correct. This pastry cream is quite thick and is used to fill a variety of tarts and pastries. Refer to the note at the bottom of the text recipe to smooth it out when you go to use it. Cheers!

Can I use whole eggs?
I saw a recipe in which cooks used whole eggs plus both flour and cornstarch...

Pastry cream is typically made with egg yolks to enrich the custard. Egg yolks contain fat (egg whites do not contain fat). You can experiment by using recipes that contain whole eggs. The pastry cream just won't be as rich. Cheers!

may i use this as cake filling? I plan to cover the cake with fondant also I will pipe a ring of butterdream around the pastry cream

thanks

Yes, pastry cream can be used as a layer of flavor in cakes. Cheers!

have you ever made this with a non-dairy milk? What would you suggest?

You could make this non-dairy indeed. As for which non-diary milk to use, it's really up to you. Depending on what you are making, you may want to use a more neutral tasting non-diary milk. Perhaps try using something like almond milk or rice milk. You could even use a coconut milk for a non-diary alternative.

Of course using a non-dairy milk will not make this a vegan pastry cream due to the eggs. Cheers!