January 8, 2020

Apple Pie Pastry Cream (Easy Homemade Pudding)

Apple Pie Pastry Cream is a homemade pudding that you can enjoy as a year round staple! Silky smooth, vanilla custard spiced with apple pie seasonings and petite bites of crispy, tart apples is a winning combo! If you enjoy the flavors of apple pie smothered in rich, vanilla ice cream, you’re going to love this homemade pudding!

WHAT IS PASTRY CREAM…

Pastry cream is basically amped up pudding, but it’s anything but basic! The pros call it crème pâtissière, but no matter what you call it, it’s a baking staple! It’s thick and luscious and creamy, and it goes with just about everything! You can use it to fill tart shells, cream puffs, cake layers, and more. Flavors can be most anything you dream up, but this apple pie pastry cream version is one of my favorites!

I have a history of pie failures so this is my way to enjoy the American staple, without the fuss of making a pie.

Bowl of apple pie pastry cream on a glass platter surrounded by craquelin topped cream puffs — To get my apple pie fix without the pie part, I fill cinnamon craquelin-topped cream puffs with apple pie pastry cream! Yummo!

PREPPING THE APPLES FOR APPLE PIE PASTRY CREAM…

It’s important that your apples are cut to ¼” diced (square) pieces, as uniformly as possible. They will cook down and shrink slightly through the process, so starting at this size ensures they will be soft, but still have a bit of bite. If they are too big, they will clog your piping tip. Tools like a mandolin or this Quick Slice can help you get closer to an even, consistent dice.

When you begin cooking your mixture, be sure to whisk it constantly while it comes to a boil. This is imperative to avoid lumps. As it cooks, the flour and the pectin released from the apples, help the mixture start to thicken.

Dark pot with apple pie pastry cream ingredients, diced apples and a whisk

CLASSIC BAKING TECHNIQUE: HOW TO TEMPER EGGS…

Just like eggs themselves, this must be handled delicately. Tempering the eggs is slowly adding small amounts of hot liquid to raw eggs, while constantly stirring. This allows us to raise the temperature of the eggs slowly, so that they stay liquefied. Once the egg mixture temperature is raised, you can stir it back into the remaining hot liquid. If you were to pour the eggs straight into the mixture without tempering first, they would immediately scramble.

HOW TO COOL AND STORE HOMEMADE PASTRY CREAM…

Pastry cream needs to be chilled as quickly as possible. I pour mine into a metal sheet pan that’s sitting on ice inside a larger sheet pan. This way it’s being chilled from every direction, and will cool faster.

Immediately cover with plastic wrap, ensuring that it’s touching the apple pie pastry cream directly. Air is not a friend of pastry cream–you will always want something encasing or covering it, otherwise it will form a dry, rubbery skin. Once it’s chilled, refrigerate for up to five days, which makes it ideal to make ahead of time!

Top view of a white bowl of apple pie pastry cream sitting on a white plate, with a small spoon, surrounded by a fall towel and apples

GREAT USES FOR APPLE PIE PASTRY CREAM…

One of my favorite ways to use this homemade pudding, besides on its own, is stuffed inside a cream puff! My cinnamon craquelin topped choux buns stuffed with apple pie pastry cream are a cross between apple crisp and apple pie – what can go wrong there, right?

Here’s a few other ideas to check out:

Served with/in/on a classic tuile cookie
As a topping on homemade vanilla ice cream
Swap the strawberries in these mini cheesecake cups

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Small white bowl with apple pie pastry cream on a white saucer next to a silver spoon on a grey hard surface, in front of a fall towel and a wicker basket of apples

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