Which pastry cream is often used in layered desserts like Napoleons?

Pastry cream is the correct choice for this question as it is a staple in pastry preparation, particularly in layered desserts like Napoleons. This cream is rich and creamy, made primarily from milk, eggs, sugar, and thickened with cornstarch or flour. Its texture is smooth and thick, making it ideal for filling between layers of puff pastry in a Napoleon, where it adds richness and stability to the dessert.

The versatility of pastry cream allows it to be flavored in various ways, such as vanilla, chocolate, or coffee, giving pastry chefs the flexibility to create diverse flavor profiles in their desserts. Its structure allows it to hold its shape well, which is critical when layering with other components like crisp pastry layers.

Other creams mentioned may also be used in dessert applications but do not suit layering in the same way as pastry cream. For instance, custard cream tends to be softer and less stable than pastry cream. Whipped cream, while light and airy, does not have the structure needed to provide the same support in layered constructions. Bavarian cream, a blend of pastry cream and gelatin, is also more delicate and typically used for mousse-like textures rather than for structural support in layered desserts like Napoleons.