a customer asked for a custard filling is that the same as bavarian cream. if not which one is better. i really want the best filling for her.

For custard, I use pastry cream. Bavarian cream is pastry cream and whipped cream folded together.

IRT which is better, it just depends on personal taste. Some people like the thick silky taste of pastry cream. Others like the lightness and fluffiness of bavarian.

Wow I really thought they were the same thing.

mjarvis78-
I just made my first batch of Bavarian cream filling for cupcakes tonight. I thought it was particularly runny. Should it be? This is the recipe I'm using:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2174-Bavarian-Cream.html

Would increasing the gelatin amount make it thicker? Should I just let it sit overnight in the fridge to thicken? Sorry, I'm a Bavarian cream virgin.

By the way, I tried pm'ing the member, but I guess she's no longer a user.

Not any offense meant to the poster of that recipe, as recipes vary wildly all the time, but I have never seen or made Bavarian Cream with gelatin. I rely on egg yolks for the thickening and always add 2 extra to mine as I prefer it really thick, but not set the way I can see it happening with gelatin.
It does not make that recipe wrong of course, just new to me.

If you did a small bowl of gelatin with milk, let it bloom, then warm to dissolve and add in, it might work. I would be more inclined to make a very small very thick custard batch and fold it in once cool to thicken it, but that is only my unfamiliarity with gelatin in this talking!

@ Yvette--If the customer wants Bavarian cream, go for it! Good stuff!

Yep. gelatin is what makes it a bavarian. Any mousse filling stabilized with gelatin is called a bavarin. Quick bavarian as mentioned earlier is pastry cream lightened with whipped cream stabilized with gelatin.

Well neat. Not even my workplace uses gelatin for "Bavarian" so it is interesting to see more recipes.

Time for another food history lesson for me!

I feel like the wikipedial lady today. Here's what they say about bavarian cream:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavarian_cream

Thanks for that link - very interesting.

I make pastry cream with both egg yolks and corn starch to thicken - it makes a wonderfully rich, thick filling.

Yep-give me til tomorrow to type it, as it is late here!

Mine, as it would seem, is not actual Bavarian but a thickened pastry cream, though flavored with liqueur (which is what I always thought made it bavarian, not the gelatin) so it is different in that regard, I can't see the taste being different, just the consistency, which even the above links state does not make it suitable for piping.

I will post or PM the recipe to you tomorrow. I do love to share recipes, and learn new things as I go!

Thanks for asking!

If possible sadiepix, would I also be able to have a copy of your recipe?

Thank you very much!