Crème Diplomat is the perfect filling when pastry cream feels too rich, but you still want that full custard flavour. It gently lightens crème pâtissière, giving you a smoother, silkier filling that still tastes like a rich vanilla custard. I'll show you exactly how to make it and use it - with ratios and visual cues.
Crème Diplomat Recipe Snapshot
What it is: A creamy custard filling for tarts, choux buns, and pastries.
Why you'll love it: It has all the flavor of custard but is light, silky, and pipeable - so it holds its shape.
How to make it: Add gelatin to sweetened whipped cream, then gently fold 1 part whipped cream into 2 parts cooled pastry cream.
Crème diplomat is one of those fillings I keep coming back to over and over. Anytime I use it in a dessert, someone always says, "Wow… what is that?" It still has the rich, custard flavor, but it's lighter and silkier, while still being firm enough to pipe.
I use it when straight pastry cream feels a bit too rich, but whipped cream alone doesn't quite cut it. This version has been tested across choux pastries, tarts, and layered desserts, using both US heavy cream and UK double cream, and it never disappoints.
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What Is Creme Diplomat?
Crème diplomat is a rich, creamy French filling made by folding stabilized whipped cream (crème chantilly) into classic pastry cream (crème pâtissière). The result is silky and luxurious - lighter than straight pastry cream but still full of that classic custard flavour. It's one of my go-to fillings for choux pastries, tarts, and even donuts, because it pipes beautifully, holds its shape, and adds that perfect creamy texture.
Crème diplomat is one of many custard fillings - if you're curious about the differences between pastry cream, crème anglaise, crème mousseline, and more, check out my custard post.
Ingredients
This crème diplomat recipe uses my classic pastry cream as a base. Make it at least 4 hours ahead of time so it has time to chill.
- Egg Yolks - Use large eggs. See here for ideas on what to use leftover egg whites for.
- White Sugar - Regular white sugar (caster sugar in the UK).
- Milk - Use whole milk - the pastry cream needs the full fat content to thicken properly.
- Corn starch - To thicken the custard - the more cornstarch added, the thicker it will be.
- Vanilla - Traditional recipes use a fresh vanilla pod, but you can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Butter - Unsalted butter will enrich the custard and give it a silky texture.
- Heavy Cream - Use heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream. It must have at least 36% fat content to be thick enough to hold its shape. Make sure the cream is completely cold - straight out of the fridge.
- Powdered Sugar - To sweeten and stabilize the whipped cream.
- Gelatin - I use gelatin powder, but you can also use gelatin sheets. Or leave it out entirely (see the post below).
The heavy cream and butter should both be cold.
See the recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.
Gelatin Or No Gelatin?
Crème diplomat is delicious with or without gelatin - it just behaves a little differently:
With gelatin: The filling gets extra stability, making it easier to pipe and helping it hold its shape for longer. Still silky, but a little more confident on the plate.
Without gelatin: Softer and a bit more relaxed - technically, this is called crème légère. Perfect if you're serving it right away or don't need it to stand for hours.
I've made plenty of desserts both ways, and honestly, they're both fantastic - it just depends on what kind of texture you're after.
Measuring Ingredients:
I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups, and this can mess up your bakes.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Balloon whisk
- Spatula
How To Make Creème Diplomat
There are two elements to prepare - the crème pâtissière (pastry cream) and the crème chantilly (sweetened whipped cream).
Make the Pastry Cream
The pastry cream needs to be made ahead of time, so it has time to cool and firm up. Make it at least 4 hours ahead, or up to 48 hours in advance.
If this is your first time making pastry cream or you would like more detailed instructions, check out my crème patissiere recipe for everything you need to know about it. But here is an overview of the process:
- Step 1: Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until pale and thick.
- Step 2: Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until it is scalding hot.
- Step 3: Gradually drizzle the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking to temper the eggs.
- Step 4: Pour the whole mixture back into the pan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly.
- Step 5: Boil for 1-2 minutes until the custard thickens and has big bubbles bursting on the surface.
- Step 6: Remove from the heat, whisk in the cold butter, then cover with plastic wrap and let it cool.
Make the Crème Chantilly
Chantilly cream is whipped cream that has been sweetened and stabilised with powdered sugar and vanilla. In a diplomat cream recipe, it is typically stabilized further with gelatin.
You should make the chantilly cream when the pastry cream has cooled, and you are ready to make the diplomat cream.
Bloom the Gelatin
Sprinkle the powdered gelatin on top of the water and leave it for 10 minutes to bloom.
Whip the Cream
Meanwhile, whip the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until it reaches soft peaks.
Add Gelatin
Microwave the bloomed gelatin in short 5-10 second bursts until it has completely dissolved, then quickly add it to the cream while whipping on medium speed.
Be very careful not to hit the whisk, or it will spin it out and make gummy lumps in your cream.
Make Stiff Peaks
Turn the mixer back up to high speed and whip until the cream reaches stiff peaks
Tip: I like to whip it to the medium peak stage in the mixer, then use a balloon whisk to finish the cream off by hand to avoid overwhipping it.
Make the Diplomat Cream
Now that you have chilled pastry cream and stabilized whipped cream, it's time to fold them together to make the final filling. See the ratios section below for guidance on the perfect balance of pastry cream to whipped cream.
Stir Pastry Cream
Take the pastry cream out of the fridge and give it a gentle stir with a whisk to bring back the texture. Put it into a mixing bowl.
Fold Together
Add half of the stabilized whipped cream to the chilled pastry cream and fold it in gently with a spatula, then add the remaining cream and fold until totally incorporated.
Use immediately.
Jules' Recipe Tips
- Cool the pastry cream completely before making your whipped cream. Ideally, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, even better if left overnight.
- Use the right cream - you must use a cream with at least 36% fat content, or it won't be stable enough. That means heavy cream in the US or double cream in the UK.
- Fold, don't stir - Add the whipped cream to the custard in 2 or 3 stages and fold very carefully to avoid knocking the air out of the cream.
- Don't overwhip the cream - I like to finish whipping cream by hand as it can become overwhipped very quickly in the mixer and turn grainy or separate.
Creme Diplomat Ratios
The perfect ratio for classic diplomat cream is 2 parts pastry cream to 1 part whipped cream by weight. So, if you have 400g of pastry cream, use about 200g of whipped cream.
Even though this recipe gives measurements to match that ratio, the actual amount of pastry cream you end up with can vary depending on eggs, milk, or how much it thickens while cooling, so it's best to weigh both the pastry cream and whipped cream to make sure your filling has the right consistency every time.
You can also play with the ratio depending on your dessert: a touch more whipped cream for extra fluff in choux, or a little less if you want a firmer filling for tarts or cakes.
How To Use Creme Diplomat
This classic filling is such a versatile cream that can be used in many different ways.
- Choux buns - Because it is so light, crème diplomat makes a perfect filling for cream puffs or profiteroles.
- Eclairs - It's also a wonderful option for other choux pastries like eclairs and Paris Brest.
- Tart filling - It makes a wonderful custard base in fresh fruit tarts like my strawberry tarts.
- Donuts - You may have tried diplomat cream without realising, as it is also the filling in Bavarian cream donuts.
- Dessert cups - Layer it with fresh fruit and vanilla cake to make spoonable desserts or mini trifles.
Storage
You can keep your crème diplomat in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Don't worry about the little bit of gelatin in there - it just gives the cream some extra bounce and helps it hold its shape; it won't make it set firm. You'll still be able to pipe it after chilling, just give it a gentle stir to bring back the texture.
It's best not to freeze diplomat cream, as gelatin does not like the freezer.
FAQ
If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Creme patissiere is classic pastry cream - a custard thickened with cornstarch to make a rich vanilla filling. Crème diplomat is made by folding creme patissiere together with stabilised whipped cream for a lighter, creamy filling.
To make a classic diplomat cream, the ratio should be 2 parts pastry cream to 1 part stabilized whipped cream. You can make it softer and lighter by adding more whipped cream, or firmer and richer by adding less.
You can make creme diplomat ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It's not recommended to freeze it, though, as the gelatin can destabilize in the freezer.
More Filling Recipes
Need some inspiration for some more delicious recipes to fill your baked goods with? Try some of these:
Recipe
Crème Diplomat
Ingredients
- 5 Large Egg Yolks
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- ¼ cup Cornstarch 30g
- 2 cups Whole Milk 480ml
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Butter 30g
- 1 cup Heavy Cream 240ml (cold)
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar 30g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Gelatin Powder
- 2 tablespoon Water (room temperature)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with whisk attachment
- Balloon Whisk
- Spatula
Instructions
- Note: Make the pastry cream at least 4 hours ahead of time so it has time to chill. If you are new to custard recipes, see my guide on how to make pastry cream for detailed instructions, process pictures, and troubleshooting.
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until pale and thick.5 Large Egg Yolks, ½ cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar, ¼ cup (30 g) Cornstarch
- Add the milk and vanilla to a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it is scalding hot. This means there is steam rising from the surface and tiny bubbles appearing on the surface.2 cups (480 ml) Whole Milk, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Gradually drizzle the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking it in as you go. It's important to do this slowly so that the eggs warm up gradually and don't scramble.
- Pour the whole custard mixture back into the pan over medium-low heat and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Boil for 1-2 minutes until the custard has thickened and you see thick bubbles bursting on the surface.
- If there are any lumps in your pastry cream, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them.
- Stir in the salt and the butter, a little at a time, until totally incorporated.2 tablespoon Butter, ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ tsp) Salt
- Cover with plastic wrap so that the plastic is touching the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature and then put in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours.
- Make the chantilly cream once your pastry cream has completely cooled, right before you want to use the creme diplomat.
- Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water in a microwave-safe bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom.1 teaspoon Gelatin Powder, 2 tablespoon Water
- Meanwhile, add the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a stand mixer and whip to soft peaks.1 cup (240 ml) Heavy Cream, ¼ cup (30 g) Powdered Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Put the bloomed gelatin in the microwave in short, 5-10 second bursts until it has completely dissolved and looks clear.
- With the mixer on. medium speed, quickly pour the gelatin into the cream. Make sure not to hit the whisk as it will spin the gelatin out and make gloopy lumps in your cream.
- Turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip it or your cream will turn grainy and may separate. I like to whip to medium-stiff peaks in the mixer, then finish it off by hand to avoid overwhipped.
- Remove your pastry cream from the fridge and stir it gently with a whisk to bring it back to a smooth texture. Put it in a large mixing bowl.
- Add half of the chantilly cream and carefully fold it in with a spatula. Then add the remaining half and fold until totally incorporated. Use a light hand so you don't knock too much air out of the cream. Use immediately.
Hi, I'm Jules!
I'm a Scottish ex-bakery owner sharing my tried and true dessert recipes and expert tips to help you whip up impressive desserts at home.
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