Ideal for filling cakes, tarts, or simply eating with a spoon: Chocolate pastry cream (Crème pâtissière) is one of the basic preparations that should not be missing from any cake lover’s recipe book. Velvety, enveloping, and with an intense flavor, it is perfect for enriching numerous pastry recipes: from the most classic ones like tarts and sponge cakes to cream puffs, birthday cakes, and soft cakes. The preparation is practically identical to that of classic pastry cream, but at the end of the cooking process, chopped dark chocolate is added. I used 70% dark chocolate to achieve a strong flavor, but if you prefer a milder taste, you can simply choose a chocolate with a lower cocoa content.
Ingredients 750g (26.5 oz):
- 4 egg yolks
- 500ml (2 1/8 cups) whole milk
- 100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (70%)
- 80g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 40g (1/3 cup) cornstarch
How to prepare Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crème pâtissière):
- To prepare the chocolate pastry cream, first chop the chocolate with a knife.
- Slightly warm the milk in a thick-bottomed pot, which will later be used to cook the pudding. Turn off the heat. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and mix the yolks with the sugar in a bowl.
- Beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour or cornstarch and continue beating for a few minutes until well combined with the rest.
- Gradually add the lukewarm milk, pouring it in slowly while continuing to beat.
- At the end, you should have a liquid and homogeneous mixture. Pour the mixture into the pot and place it on the stove.
- Cook the cream for 8-10 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until it has thickened.
- Then remove the pot from the heat and immediately add the chopped chocolate.
- Stir vigorously, and you will see that the chocolate melts instantly and combines with the cream.
- Pour the chocolate pastry cream into a container and let it cool first at room temperature and then in the refrigerator. Don’t forget to cover it with cling film: this is the perfect trick to prevent that annoying film from forming on the surface.
- Serve the chocolate pastry cream as a spoon dessert or use it to fill your favorite desserts.
Bon Appétit!
