Chocolate Pastry Cream
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Chill Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Learn how to make our Chocolate Pastry Cream, the luscious pudding-like filling that elevates cakes, donuts, eclairs, and cream puffs!
Servings: 3 cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 fl oz/480 ml) whole milk
- 1 large whole egg, at room temperature
- 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (6 oz/170 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz/28 g) cold butter, cubed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole egg, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.
-
Once the milk is simmering, gradually add it to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and while whisking, cook until the custard begins to bubble and thicken.
-
Keep cooking for 1 -2 minutes until thickened.
-
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract. Let this sit for five minutes, then whisk until smooth.
-
Pass the mixture through a sieve and into a clean bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the hot custard and let cool to room temperature on the counter before transferring to the refrigerator to cool and set completely, for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. Use as a filling in a pie, cakes, trifle and tarts.