Chocolate Pastry Cream
This post may contain affiliate links.
This silky smooth and dreamy Chocolate Pastry Cream recipe is decadent, rich in chocolate flavor and is so easy to make. My favorite thing is how perfectly pipeable it is. Making it perfect for filling cakes, cupcakes or even thew classic éclair!
This recipe uses both corn starch to make thick enough to so that it’s able to hold it’s shape making it super versatile.
By the way, if you’re looking for a great vanilla pastry cream recipe, give my recipe here a go!
What is Pastry Cream?
It’s a French custard that is made using good quality, simple ingredients. This one is dressed up with chocolate which makes it the perfect chocolate lovers treat! Let’s break down what makes it amazing!
- Rich chocolate flavor – this pastry cream has a really rich chocolate flavor and that because we use cocoa powder and chopped semi-sweet (dark) chocolate. It results in a chocolate flavor that is not overly sweet and helps compliment whatever dessert you add this pastry cream to. Whilst at the same time working well on it’s own.
- Silky smooth texture – the pastry cream thick enough to pipe but also soft and silky when eating it. That’s because I use corn starch, also known as corn flour. This pastry cream can also be thinned out by leaving out the corn flour
Ingredients You Need To Make Chocolate Pastry Cream
- Milk – use whole milk for this recipe. I used cows milk. You can use plant based milk like almond or oat to make this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract – Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!
- Corn starch – also known as corn flour this helps thicken the pastry cream.
- Sugar – I used granulated white sugar. I only used 2 tbsp of sugar which means this pastry cream isn’t too thick.
- Cocoa powder – I used a good quality cocoa powder. Dutch or regular will work.
- Salt – I used fine salt. It helps elevate the chocolate flavor.
- Egg yolks – I used large eggs for this recipe. You will only need the egg yolks. Separating your eggs when they’re cold is much easier to do.
- Dark chocolate – Using good quality chocolate is important in this recipe. I used semi-sweet chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. You can find cooking chocolate in the baking isle of your supermarket.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter for this recipe. You want to make sure the butter is cold.
How to Make Chocolate Pastry Cream!
- Gently warm milk and vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients to a bowl and mix
- Add egg yolks and mix
- Slowly add milk and whisk
- Add back to pot
- Add chocolate
- Mix until thickened
- Add butter and mix
- Cover and chill
- Mix and use!
Troubleshooting: How to avoid disaster!
Go slow! You’re cooking eggs and they need a slow and low heat.
- Lumpy – ingredients not measured properly or not sieved at the end before chilling.
- Split – butter added too quickly, keep whisking, ti will eventually come together!
- Too runny – ingredients not measured properly, not cooked long enough. If you’re 100% sure you measured properly, put it back on the stove and cook until it thickens. If this doesn’t work, you haven’t measured properly.
- Eggs curdled – there’s no fixing this! This happened because the milk was either too hot or added too quickly to the egg mixture.
Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!
- Make this thinner by adding a little extra milk!
- Make sure you add the warm milk into the egg paste mixture slowly to avoid it cooking the eggs too quickly.
- You can flavor this using fruit reductions.
- Run the mixture through a sieve to make sure you get rid of any lumps that may be in the pastry cream.
- Using cold butter is key in this recipe means It melts slower in the hot custard slower, preventing your pastry cream from splitting as you mix it in.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chocolate Pastry Cream
What does it taste like?
This Chocolate Pastry Cream is silky smooth, decadent, and perfectly pipeable. It has a rich chocolate flavor and it simply superb!
How do I store this?
You can store this in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
How much pastry cream does this recipe make?
I’m going to call this one batch of Chocolate Pastry Cream. It makes 2 1/2 cups of pastry cream. So if you see me refer to this referenced in other recipes as 1/2 a batch, you’ll need to make half of this recipe.
How can I make this thinner?
This pastry cream can be turned into a sauce like substance for pouring on all kind of desserts. Add a little extra milk to get it as thin as you like.
Why is my pastry cream rubbery after chilling?
Totally normal. Once chilled, your pastry cream sets. You can bring it back to a smooth and delicious consistency.
What do I do with leftover egg whites?
I have some great recipe options to use up left over egg whites. Give these a go!
Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!
If you loved this recipe, check these out!
French Pastry Cream Recipe
Boston Cream Pie Cake
How To Make Cream Puffs
Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Paris Brest
Passionfruit Meringue Tart
Easy French Chocolate Pasty Cream Recipe
This rich and perfectly smooth Chocolate Pastry Cream Recipe, also known as crème pâtissière is thick, perfectly pipeable and not overly sweet!
Serves 2
Ingredients
Chocolate Pasty Cream Recipe
- 500 g whole milk, not skim
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- 30 g corn starch, corn flour
- 40 g caster sugar, superfine sugar
- 20 g Dutch processed cocoa powder, see notes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 egg yolks
- 150 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 125 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
How to prepare a vanilla bean (if using)
- Use a sharp knife to cut the bean in half longways. Then use the sharp end of the knife to scrape away the little vanilla pods inside the bean. You’ll use the vanilla pods and scraped bean.
Chocolate Pasty Cream Recipe
- Heat milk and vanilla – Add the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and heat on medium heat, stirring continuously until bubbles begin forming around the sides. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Combine dry ingredients and eggs – To a large heat proof bowl add the flour, corn starch, sugar, cocoa powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add the egg yolks and a splash of the warmed milk (about 3 tbsp) and whisk until smooth.
- Add the milk – Slowly add the milk, about 1/4 cup at a time and stir each time until half the milk is in there. Whisk to combine.
- Heat custard – Place back in the saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until it begins to bubble. When bubbles start making their way through the thickened pastry cream turn the heat off.
- Add dark chocolate and butter – Add all of the dark chocolate and 1/2 the cold butter. Whisk until well combined. Then add the remaining butter and repeat. You want to do this slowly, so the custard doesn’t split.
- Get rid of lumps – Pour through the sieve into a large bowl to ensure no lumps are in it. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a couple hours or overnight. Use a whisk to mix until smooth before using.
Notes
Dutch processed cocoa powder – is an unsweetened cocoa powder which has been treated with alkaline and potassium carbonate to neutralize the acidity that is naturally found in cocoa powder. It’s darker in color and strong in chocolate flavor.
Dark cooking chocolate – I used dark cooking chocolate for this recipe. Specifically, the Nestle cooking buttons which are designed to be easily melted and used for baking and desserts, but any cooking chocolate that can be found in the baking isle of your supermarket will work. Just make sure it’s good quality.
Storage – This Chocolate Pastry cream can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Nutrition – This recipe makes about 2 cups of pastry cream. Nutrition is based on per cup (250ml).
How to make dairy free: To make this pastry cream dairy free, simply replace the milk with plant-based milk and the butter with dairy free butter, not margarine.
A note on measurements – this recipe is offered in weight measurements. This is in an effort to offer the most accurate way to get the best results. Cup measurements simply aren’t accurate enough for a recipe that needs precision and cup sizes differ depending on where you are in the world. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales!
Nutrition
Calories : 1513kcal
Carbonhydrates: 82g
Protein: 27g
Fat: 117g
Saturated Fat: 67g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g
Monounsaturated Fat : 34g
Trans Fat : 2g
Cholesterol: 751mg
Sodium: 444mg
Potassium : 1349mg
Fiber: 15g
Sugar : 39g
Vitamin A: 2785IU
Calcium: 481mg
Iron: 15mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!
previous post
12 comments
Can these be frozen?
No, sorry. N x
Hello! I really want to try this recipe. Seems so yummy! Could I use it as cake filling?
Yes! But make sure it’s not a multi-layered cake as the weight of the cake would not be supported I think.
How can I make this vegan by not using eggs? Can I use Aquafina? Egg replacer powder? Flaxseed egg? What would be my best option? Thank you for your help. Recipe looks great for tiramisu
Rewriting because the email was wrong on previous comment
But… This isn’t a vegan recipe??? lol
Why would you sieve milk? Then how the heck do you sieve batter? You can’t sieve maracapone cheese and flour ect….
Just to make sure you dont have any lumps from any potential skin in the milk. The second time is to make sure there are no flour lumps. Hope that helps! N x
How long can I keep this in the fridge to use for later?
Hi HerM! I think up to two days should be ok!
How much flour did you use? You didn’t mention that !!
Hi Mari! 😊
Thanks so much for your comment! I actually made some updates to the recipe recently and removed the flour altogether, which is why it’s no longer mentioned. The recipe is now flour-free and still comes out rich and creamy. If you check back, you’ll find the updated version on the blog! Let me know if you have any other questions—I’m happy to help!
Happy baking! Nick x