23 pastry cream recipes

Deep-dish rhubarb strawberry pie with a flaky shortening crust, fresh fruit filling spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and a sugared lattice top. The classic spring-into-summer pie baked in a square dish.

Caramel-orange Bûche de Noël assembly with Grand Marnier buttercream, almond sponge, and pastry cream filling. The classic French Yule log cake for Christmas.

Single-crust pastry pie shell with margarine, blind-baked at high heat until golden in 10 minutes. A basic flaky pastry that works as a base for cream pies, custards, and fruit fillings.

Golden amaranth shortcake made with amaranth flour, whole wheat pastry flour, tahini, and almonds, topped with crushed pineapple and a blended tofu cream. Dairy-free and honey-sweetened.

Traditional Yorkshire bilberry pie from Haworth with wild bilberries mixed into baked apple pulp, wrapped in pastry and baked until golden. Served with cream.

Homemade fried elephant ears: sour-cream and buttermilk dough rolled thin, slit, fried golden, then tumbled in cinnamon sugar. State fair pastry made in your own kitchen.

Oatmeal pie crust adds rolled oats to a classic shortening pastry for nutty flavor and a sturdier base. Holds up to wet fillings like pumpkin, custard, or cream pies without going soggy.