Salted Caramel Pastry Cream Filling for Cream Puffs and Eclairs

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Salted caramel pastry cream is a thick custard you can use to fill tasty desserts like cream puffs or eclairs.

Sugar is cooked in a saucepan until it caramelizes to give a sweet caramel flavor.

Salt is added to create a balance of sweet and savory salted caramel pastry cream.

Salted Caramel Pastry Cream Filling for Cream Puffs

Pastry cream is made by tempering eggs to create a thick, creamy filling you can use for mouthwatering desserts.

salted caramel pastry cream

Salted caramel pastry cream can be used for:

  • cream puffs
  • Danish
  • Eclairs
  • cakes
  • tarts
  • puff pastry desserts
Salted Caramel Cream Filling

Salted Caramel Pastry Cream Filling

How to make salted caramel pastry cream
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Yield: 3 cups

Materials

  • 3/4 cup sugar granulated
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature

Instructions

  • Place sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a spatula until it turns into a golden amber color.
  • Slowly stream the heavy cream into the saucepan and whisk vigorously. The caramel with bubble and potentially splash you. Be careful to stand back as you add the cream and stir until fully combined.
  • Add milk, salt and vanilla bean paste to the saucepan. Let it heat until just before it starts boiling (1-2 bubbles).
  • While you're waiting for your cream to heat up, in a separate large bowl, place egg yolks, egg and cornstarch. Whisk them together.
  • Temper the eggs by adding the hot cream VERY SLOWLY and whisking vigorously. Do not cook the eggs. Try adding just a small amount ~1 tbsp cream mixture at a time until you feel comfortable adding more. This way, you won't cook your eggs.
  • Place the egg/cream mixture back into the saucepan by straining it through a sieve into the saucepan. This will take out any pieces of egg that may have cooked, leaving you with a smooth mixture. Heat the mixture on medium heat.
  • Whisk the custard while it's heating. You'll know when it's thickened. It will be very difficult to stir the pot, you'll see how thick your custard is when you're stirring it. Once you're happy with the thickness, remove the saucepan from the heat. Add butter and mix until the butter is fully melted and combined into the custard.
  • Chill the custard by putting it in a fresh bowl and adding plastic wrap directly to the custard to prevent it from making a skin. Chill for 2-3 hours until cold. Then it's ready to use!
Salted Caramel Pastry Cream Filling for Eclairs