What is the name of the French pastry cream made from milk, eggs, sugar, and flour?

The French pastry cream made from milk, eggs, sugar, and flour is crème pâtissière. Often called pastry cream or confectioners’ custard in English, it is a thick, smooth custard used to fill and layer desserts.

Its texture comes from both egg yolks and starch, traditionally flour, which thickens the milk-and-sugar mixture as it is heated. Vanilla is a common flavoring, though chocolate, coffee, citrus, and other variations are also widely used.

Crème pâtissière is central to French pastry, appearing in éclairs, mille-feuille, fruit tarts, choux pastries, and some versions of cream puffs. It is easy to confuse with crème anglaise: that is a thinner, pourable custard sauce, while pastry cream is specifically thick enough to hold its shape as a filling. Crème chantilly, by contrast, is sweetened whipped cream, and crème fraîche is cultured cream.