In short: There are ten base creams in three families: custard-based (pâtissière, anglaise, diplomat, mousseline), butter-based (Charlotte, glacé) and cheese or cream based (cream cheese frosting, Chantilly). Custards go inside; butter and cheese creams hold their shape under decoration.
Butter-based creams
Not so long ago these creams did everything — coating, decorating and filling. Other creams have since taken over most of that work, and pastry chefs now keep buttercreams mainly for coating.
They contain butter, taste straightforward, travel well, firm up when cold and soften at room temperature. The common variants are buttercream with condensed milk and meringue buttercream.
Custard-based creams
The ideal choice for filling profiteroles and éclairs, and the base for a whole family: crème pâtissière thickened with starch, crème anglaise that stays pourable, diplomat lightened with whipped cream, and mousseline enriched with butter.
Cheese and cream based
Cream cheese frosting is the most widely used cream in modern cake work: three ingredients, a stable result and enough tolerance to forgive imprecision. Chantilly — sweetened whipped cream — is the lightest of the group and the least stable.
Which cream for which job
| Family | Examples | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Custard-based | pâtissière, anglaise, diplomat, mousseline | fillings, éclairs, layers inside |
| Butter-based | Charlotte, glacé, condensed-milk buttercream | coating, piping, work under fondant |
| Cheese and cream | cream cheese frosting, Chantilly | coating and filling, everyday cakes |
Frequently asked questions
Which cream holds up under fondant
Butter-based creams and cream cheese frosting made on butter. Custards and whipped creams will collapse under it.
How does pâtissière differ from anglaise
Pâtissière is thickened with starch and holds its shape; anglaise is thickened only with yolks and stays a pourable sauce.
Which cream is easiest for a beginner
Cream cheese frosting: three ingredients, a stable result and it forgives imprecise proportions.