Theory

Creams and custards are nothing more than a combination of eggs, milk or cream, and sugar. Done well, they are silky smooth, just sweet enough to please, and eminently satisfying. They can be used as dessert on their own or, to quote Larousse Gastronomique, “as fillings, toppings, or accompaniments to pastries.” Whether custard or cream, they are referred to as crèmes in classic French pastry making.

As we know them today, crèmes date back to the Middle Ages, when they were used as fillings for flans or tarts. The word custard is derived from croustade, a flaky pastry crust. After the sixteenth century, fruit creams became popular, and at about the same time, custards were being served in individual dishes rather than as a filling enclosed in a pastry crust.