Pistachio Crémeux
Pistachio Crémeux
Pistachio crêmeux is a simple filling to make with only 6 ingredients and perfectly highlights pistachio flavour!
If you’re looking to fill choux buns, eclairs, or layer cakes, then this a great filling to use as it is stabilised with gelatin, which means it will hold its shape well at room temperature. It is also beautiful for decorative piping work. If using it in a cake, I like to alternate it with buttercream just to add some support as this is better as a filling rather than coating an entire cake.
For this recipe, pure pistachio paste is really ideal as it will give the best colour and natural pistachio flavour with no oils or sugars added.
If you’re looking for other crémeux recipes, then try my dark chocolate or caramel versions!
Ingredients
Method
Into a small bowl, add the powdered gelatin and cold water. Set this aside to bloom for 5-10 minutes. If using leaf gelatin, simply soak it in cold water.
Add pure pisatchio paste into a tall jug and place a sieve over the top. I find it is best to use pure pistachio paste as there is no added sugar or oils, but if you can't get hold of it, then you can try it with pistachio cream from the supermarket - but I can't guarantee the same result!
Into a medium saucepan, add the cream and milk. Note the fat percentage of the cream you are using as a lower fat cream will result in a slightly softer crémeux. I am using a 48% fat cream (UK double cream) so that is why I cut the recipe with a little bit of whole milk. If you are using a lower-fat cream, then you could test the recipe without milk and just use 325g of cream and see which texture you prefer.
Place the cream mixture on a medium-low heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl to combine.
Once the cream is steaming, slowly pour it over the egg yolk mixture and whisk to combine.
Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and whisk constantly until it reaches 82C/180F on a digital thermometer. Be very careful here as you risk scrambling the mixture if you cook it too long or don't whisk enough.
Immediately remove it from the heat once at temperature and pour it through the sieve, over the pistachio paste. Then add in the bloomed gelatin (or squeeze out the water from the leaf gelatin).
Use a hand blender to blend until completely smooth, cover the surface with clingfilm, and refrigerate overnight. If you need to speed up the chilling process, pour the mixture onto a large tray and cover with clingfilm; it will chill/thicken within 3-4 hours.
The next day, remove it from the fridge and add it to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it reaches a medium-stiff peak. It is now ready to use for filling or piping. The recipe will make about 400g of cremeux in total.
could this be made with agar agar?
I’ve not tried this so couldn’t say I’m afraid.
YES & NO. agar can be use instead of gelatine only in certain recipes. If you are vegan/vegetarian use a good brand of gelatine (plant/fish base).
Why can you not use AGAR, Agar need to boil with a constant stirring for 1mn and the last thing you want is to boil your egg yolk.
You could try boiling your cream and milk but bare in mind the water content evaporation meaning the mixture be more stiff.
Agar soft set typically is less than 1g per 100ml
Honestly, don’t mess a good recipe.
If you have dietary just move on to another recipe elaborated for it (often bad recipes)
Excellent 🙌
Hi, can i add fruit puree instead of pistachio paste?
Did I miss seeing a step? When do you add the paste??
Step 2 🙂
Can i make this ahead and pipe it later?
Yes!
I just tried it and it works. I used about 1 tsp of agar agar and no milk – all heavy cream. you simmer the agar agar in the heavy cream for about a minute to activate then proceed with the recipe as written .
A suggestion for the pistachio paste is to simply blend pistachios for about 30 minutes until smooth and creamy. Works well and doesn’t demand such expensive pistachio products.
You can but need to considerate the water content in your puree, some are more watery than other so you need to evaporate the water till it turn to a paste consistency using a pan and gentle heat, may need to add sugar to it (bit like a jam)
Can you use gelatin leaves?
1 sheet