119 pastry cream recipes

Mocha meringue pie with a chocolate-pecan meringue crust standing in for pastry. Coffee ice cream fills the crisp shell and freezes solid, topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls. A pour of Kahlua over each slice finishes it.

Whole wheat cream cheese pastry gives these mini pecan tarts a nutty edge, while vanilla-spiked filling adds aromatic warmth to the classic brown sugar and pecan combo.

Rugelach four ways: a single cream cheese pastry dough turned into raspberry-almond crescents, layered chocolate-pecan squares, apricot pockets and honey-pecan triangles. Holiday cookie tray showstopper.

Vanilla bean creme brulee tartlets, silky custard set in a crisp buttery pastry shell and finished with a torched, crackly caramel top. Crowned with whipped cream and fresh berries for an elegant dessert.

The colors the fruits used in the cookies suggest those of the robes worn by the four ordres mendiants, monastic orders that originally lived on charity -- the Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans and Franciscans.

Italian fig and raspberry crostata with almond cream filling on a buttery sweet pastry crust. Fresh figs, scattered berries, and a dusting of powdered sugar make this tart stunning.

Indian-style deep-fried pastries stuffed with a sweet filling of toasted coconut, cream of wheat, almonds, raisins, and cardamom. Crispy golden shells, fragrant spiced filling. Makes 1 dozen.

Shortcut bear claw pastries using refrigerated biscuit dough stuffed with cream cheese, orange marmalade, and raisins. Sliced almonds and sugar top each claw for a bakery-style breakfast treat.

Vegan Black Forest cake with whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce, and a kirsch syrup. Cashew-tofu icing replaces dairy whipped cream. Three layers of chocolate cake, cherries, and creamy frosting.

Classic rhubarb pie with a lattice crust and orange pastry made by swapping water for orange juice in the dough. Tart, sweet, and best served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Homemade maple syrup ice cream served in crisp sablé pastry barquettes with a maple custard sauce. A French-style plated dessert made from real vanilla beans and pure maple syrup.

Raspberry gems are delicate sandwich cookies with a sour cream pastry dough, raspberry jam filling, dipped in semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled with almonds. A gorgeous holiday cookie tin addition.

Eastern European meat patties with slow-braised veal, mushrooms, and dill wrapped in a buttery sour cream dough and baked golden. A hand-held pastry stuffed with ground meat filling.

Rich chicken and olive quiche with a silky cream-and-egg-yolk custard seasoned with nutmeg and cayenne. An elegant brunch or light dinner baked in a flaky pastry shell.

Classic vanilla meringue kisses filled with silky chocolate ganache: crisp shells piped from star-tipped pastry bags, slow-baked low, then thumbed open and spooned full of melted bittersweet cream.

Pineapple-apricot empanaditas: flaky cream cheese pastry folded around a fresh pineapple-apricot jam spiked with Triple Sec, baked golden and sugar-dusted. Sweet little hand pies for any party.