If this sounds too technical for you to attempt with your kids, don’t be fooled! We made this in a class designed for 8-11 year olds, and I would bet most kids within that range can easily make this with light adult supervision.

If you aren’t familiar with creme patissiere, it is basically fancy French pudding. It is rich, creamy, and so fun to say! It is a classic pastry cream that can be used in a million different ways. It is also delicious as just a plain lemon pudding. Feel free to let it chill in tiny bowls in your fridge (with plastic wrap pressed on the top so that it doesn’t form a “skin”) and get ready for the best Snack Pack the kids have ever tasted. You can also fill these shells made from store bought puff pastry. They also sell ready to bake pastry shells in the freezer section of the grocery store, which is a great option!

Lemon Creme Patissiere

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk

1 Tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

⅛ teaspoon salt 

5 egg yolks (cold)

2 Tablespoons butter 

2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

Instructions

1. Prepare a large bowl of ice water to use as an ice bath. 
2. Cut your butter into ½ inch cubes. 
3. Combine milk and lemon zest in a small sauce pot (look for one with a heavy bottom to keep the milk from scalding). 
4. Bring milk to barely a simmer. Remove your pot from the heat and let it steep until you are ready for it. 
5. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl.
6. Add yolks to your sugar mixture and whisk until light yellow, about 1 minute. 
7. Add a ladle-full of your warm milk to your egg mixture and whisk fast until combined. 
8. While furiously whisking, SLOWLY stream in the rest of your warm milk. You don’t want to add the hot liquid too fast or you will scramble your eggs. 
9. Pour your mixture back into the small sauce pot. 
10. Heat over medium heat. Continuously whisk! 
11. Heat for 2 minutes or until your mixture starts to thicken. 
12. Then whisk for 1 minute or until your mixture starts to slow bubble (not boil). 
13. Whisk for 1 minute while bubbling and then remove your pot from the heat. 
14. Add in your butter and whisk until it is combined and melted. 
15. Strain your creme through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl. 
16. Place a piece of plastic wrap or buttered parchment paper on the surface of your creme to prevent a film from forming. 
17. Place your bowl in your ice bath. Let cool for 30 minutes. 
18. Refrigerate cream at least 2 hours or until ready to use.