Just like my basic crème pâtissière (pastry cream recipe), this too is a custard dessert that can be used as a base for many other dessert recipes! Learning how to make pastry cream is a basic skill that any type of baking requires, simply because pastry cream is the base for many desserts. I’ve talked about all of that before and covered all my tips and how to make pastry cream (vanilla creme patissiere), along with my detailed guide on custard desserts. Here, I’m sharing the recipe for Chocolate Creme Patissiere (Chocolate Pastry Cream), perfect for chocolate pudding, chocolate eclairs, chocolate cream puffs, profiteroles, and other pastry recipes.
Why this recipe works
I use cocoa powder as well as bittersweet chocolate to make this chocolate pastry cream. The cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate flavor, while bittersweet chocolate enhances that flavor. The cocoa butter in bittersweet chocolate makes the chocolate creme patissiere richer. So, the combination of the two types of chocolate ensures that your chocolate pastry cream has great depth of chocolate flavor and creamy richness. Because of the bittersweet chocolate in the pastry cream, this recipe yields a slightly thicker chocolate pastry cream than my vanilla pastry cream recipe. That’s due to the cocoa butter in it, which is a solid at room temperature. I also add extra milk (compared to the classic vanilla pastry cream) to keep the custard creamy and smooth. To make this more stable, you can add gelatin to the chocolate pastry cream, making it perfect for cake fillings too.
Ingredients (and ingredient notes)
Milk Sugar Eggs and egg yolks Cornstarch Cocoa powder Vanilla and salt Chocolate Butter Gelatin (optional)
Milk – Preferably whole milk. You could substitute some of the milk with heavy cream or single cream, but I find that it’s not necessary because the pastry cream is rich as it is. Sugar – To add sweetness. You can use white sugar, but I like to add brown sugar because the molassey flavor complements the chocolate flavor. But both types of sugar will work in this recipe. Eggs and egg yolks – I used to make this recipe with a combination of egg yolks and whole eggs, which you can absolutely do. But I have also made this with ALL egg yolks, and love the results! This recipe is flexible enough for you to go with either option. Just note that the egg yolk only method is slightly thicker, while adding whole eggs increases the yield. Cornstarch – Acts as a stabilizer and thickener. The starch stabilizes the egg proteins, which helps to prevent curdling. The cornstarch also gelatinizes in the heat and absorbs liquid, making the pastry cream thick as well. You can add more cornstarch to make the chocolate pastry cream thicker for different applications. Some recipes use flour, but I prefer cornstarch. Cocoa powder – Adds flavor and also acts as a thickener. I use dutch processed cocoa powder which adds a deep chocolate flavor without the bitterness, but it also contributes to thickening the pastry cream along with the cornstarch. The amount of cocoa powder I use only adds a subtle chocolate flavor, which is why I also add chocolate in addition to the cocoa powder. Vanilla and salt – While the vanilla is optional, the salt is not. Just add the minimum amount of salt to yield depth of flavor to the chocolate. Add up to the maximum amount to add a salty kick to the pastry cream. I’m a sucker for salty and sweet flavors, so I love to add extra salt, but this is up to you. Chocolate – Chocolate adds flavor but also contributes to the rich, creaminess and the final thick texture of the chilled chocolate pastry cream. Since this is the main flavor, use a really good quality chocolate! A couverture chocolate (made with cocoa butter) is much better than a compound chocolate (made with vegetable fat).
For a deeper, less sweet chocolate flavor, use bittersweet chocolate. For a more balanced chocolate and sweet flavor, use semisweet chocolate.
As chocolate is solid at room temperature, the chocolate pastry cream is thicker when chilled after cooking. Butter – Butter adds flavor and the smooth mouthfeel. Because of the presence of chocolate, butter is not as important as it is in vanilla pastry cream. But I like to add it because I still love the flavor it imparts on the final pastry cream. Gelatin – This is an optional ingredient. But gelatin (bloomed in water) will provide added stability to your pastry cream. This is especially important if you want to use this as a filling for tarts, where the filling should hold even when the tart is cut. Or inside cakes, where you don’t want the pastry cream to squeeze out the sides when slices are cut.
How to make chocolate pastry cream
Step one – Heat the milk
Place the milk in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. The milk does not need to come to a boil, but it should start to steam. The purpose of this is to cut down on the cook time of the pastry cream after adding the egg mixture. Otherwise, you would be stirring the mixture forever! Make sure to occasionally stir the milk to prevent the milk from burning. Once heated, remove the milk from the stove.
Step two – Prepare the egg mixture
While the milk is heating, prepare the egg mixture. You can also do this before heating the milk. Place the eggs, egg yolk, cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl or a measuring jug. Using a whisk, whisk all the ingredients together very well. It’s important to scrape the sides and bottom to make sure there are no streaks of leftover ingredients. Whisk until the egg mixture is a little pale in color. This is to ensure everything is mixed very well, and will mix with the eggs properly as well.
Step three – Temper the eggs
Place the bowl with the egg mixture on a cloth napkin (a damp cloth napkin is better) to keep it from slipping. Use a small measuring cup or small bowl to remove some hot milk from the saucepan. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin, slow stream while whisking the egg mixture. This is to prevent the eggs from getting too hot too quickly and scrambling. Add enough milk to warm up the egg mixture to almost the same temperature as the milk. This process is called tempering the eggs. Pour the warmed egg hot milk mixture back into the saucepan, and mix with the remaining milk in the saucepan. Return the pot back to the stove.
Step four – Cook the chocolate pastry cream
For the chocolate pastry cream to thicken properly, it must be brough to a boil. However, heating the custard mixture to that temperature will absolutely cause the eggs to scramble and cause lumps in the mixture. So it’s crucial to cook the pastry cream over a manageable heat while constantly whisking to evenly distribute the heat and prevent the eggs from setting. If the heat is too high and / or not whisking fast enough, the custard will form clumps. So it’s important to adjust the heat to a medium or lower temperature, while making sure to whisk constantly. As you heat the chocolate custard mixture, it will start to thicken. Use the whisk to get the corners and bottom of the saucepan. The time for this to happen will vary depending on your stove temperature, the pot, and the size of pot you use. So it’s important to keep an eye on the custard to look for signs of it being ready.
Step five – Boil the pastry cream
The thickening potential of the cornstarch (in the chocolate custard) will only activate properly when the mixture is brought to a boil. The starch molecules are able to hold the moisture only when they are heated to boiling temperature. This will also ensure that the cornstarch cooks through and does not leave any starchy taste. The chocolate pastry cream has come to a boil when it releases large thick bubbles on the surface, kind of like bubbling lava. Once the bubbles break the surface, keep stirring continuously and let the pastry cream cook for at least a further 1 – 1.5 minutes at low-medium heat. This is to make sure all the cornstarch hits the right temperature to properly thicken the custard.
Step six – Add the chocolate and butter
Once the chocolate pastry cream is cooked and thickened properly, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove. At this stage, add the chocolate, butter, and bloomed gelatin (only if using). Whisk the custard to allow the chocolate to completely melt, and mix well along with the butter and gelatin. If needed, place the saucepan on the (turned off or low heat) stove to allow some residual heat for better melting.
Step seven – Strain and cool
The pastry cream should have absolutely no lumps if properly cooked. But if you do have a few lumps, you can use a stick blender to blend the chocolate pastry cream. Then pass the custard through a sieve into a large bowl or storage container while still warm. Cover the custard with plastic wrap that is touching the whole surface. This will prevent a skin from forming on top of the chocolate creme patissiere. Allow the custard to cool slightly, and then place it in the fridge to chill completely.
Step eight – Prepare the pastry cream for use
The chocolate pastry cream is ready to be used when,
Pastry cream is chilled. A chilled chocolate pastry cream sets fairly firm (especially with gelatin). So you must use a whisk to break apart the custard and mix it well to make it creamy again. Otherwise, it will not pipe or spread smoothly. Chocolate pastry cream is at room temperature. Perfect to use when you want it to set properly as it chills. For example, as a pie or tart filling, or cake filling, or even to make other custard desserts like diplomat cream.
Remember that adding gelatin will make the chocolate pastry cream firmer, so it’s perfect for applications where you need the custard to have more structure.
Recipe tips
The biggest issue novice cooks have with pastry cream is the pastry cream or custard becoming lumpy. This is because the eggs scramble in the milk, causing a grainy and lumpy texture. So, it’s crucial to follow a few tips to avoid this. If this is your first time making pastry cream – take it slow. Do not be impatient and rush the process. The chocolate pastry cream must be cooked on a low to medium temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster you must whisk the mixture to prevent the eggs from scrambling and creating lumps. If you’re unsure, lower the heat. The more you make custard, the more confident you will become with the process. The texture and stages will become more familiar, and you will get faster at making chocolate pastry cream, or any other kind of pastry cream. Since chocolate is the main flavor, use a good quality chocolate. Bittersweet for a less sweet pastry cream, and semisweet for a sweeter version. Avoid using melting chocolates as they are compound chocolates.
Recipe variations
With a few additional ingredients, you can transform your chocolate pastry cream recipe into other delicious flavors as well. Here are some flavor options.
Mocha pastry cream – Add about 1 tsp of instant coffee granules to the milk. Allow the instant coffee to dissolve in the milk and then proceed with the recipe. Bourbon chocolate pastry cream – Reduce about 3 – 4 tbsp of milk from the recipe. Then add 3 tbsp of bourbon along with the butter and chocolate at the end and whisk it in until well mixed with the custard. Jaffa pastry cream – Add 1 tsp orange extract and then proceed with the recipe. Cinnamon chocolate pastry cream – Add ½ tsp cinnamon into the milk and then proceed with the recipe. White chocolate pastry cream – If you’re making white chocolate pastry cream, then remove the cocoa powder and add cornstarch instead. Then substitute the regular chocolate with a good quality white chocolate. But keep in mind that the pastry cream will be much sweeter, and the texture will be softer because of the white chocolate. If you’d like a richer version of this chocolate pastry cream (that is more like ganache), you could try making chocolate cremeux, a dessert made with creme anglaise.
How to use this chocolate pastry cream
I made something quite similar to chocolate creme patissiere in this no bake chocolate pudding pie. The filling for that pie is a chocolate pudding which is basically a chocolate creme pat, BUT richer (with more egg yolks and butter), and made with more chocolate and no cocoa powder. You can use either of these two recipes for chocolate pudding. The chocolate creme patissiere that I’m sharing here is thicker and therefore can be piped on or used to fill any type of pastry (like choux pastry, eclairs, cream puffs, paris brest, choux au craquelin, and even croissants!). It’s perfect for trifles (like this chocolate brownie trifle), chocolate cream puffs (profiteroles filled with chocolate pastry cream), boston cream pie, and even no bake pies (like this no bake chocolate pudding pie). This rich chocolate pastry cream can also be used as a filling for cakes, but make sure to use a buttercream dam for stability. I’ve had readers who used this pastry cream as a filling in my vanilla cake and chocolate cake. If you like diplomat cream (or boston cream), then you can make chocolate diplomat cream with this recipe too! Make sure to add the gelatin to the pastry cream. Then make chantilly cream and fold it in with the chocolate cream patissiere to make a light, chocolatey, mousse-like filling that can be used as a filling for tarts or pies. But it can also be served as is, as a richer chocolate mousse!
Storage
Chocolate pastry cream can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze chocolate pastry cream for up to 2 months. Due to the chocolate in the pastry cream, it is more stable and likely to have a similar texture when thawed and re-whisked. If you liked this chocolate creme patissiere (chocolate pastry cream) recipe, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all these recipes delivered straight to your inbox), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, YOU TUBE and GOOGLE-PLUS too.
