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Overhead shot of Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream topped with whipped cream and blueberries.
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5 from 3 votes

Chocolate Crème Pâtisserie Pastry Cream

A rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream, perfectly creamy custard with intense chocolate flavor! Ideal for an array of desserts or even piped into glasses and topped with fresh vanilla whipped cream and berries. 
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword Chocolate Creme Patissiere, Chocolate Pastry Cream
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill time 2 hours 40 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 cups
Author Mean Green Chef

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups (1,066 ml) whole milk or cream
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 5 Tablespoons (50 grams) cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup (76 grams) cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) Pink Himalayan sea salt or Kosher sea salt finely ground
  • 12 oz (340 grams) bittersweet chocolate
  • 4 Tablespoons (60 grams) butter

Instructions

  • Pour the milk and vanilla into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. 
    Blue pot with cream for Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream.
  • While the milk and vanilla are being heated, add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl.
    Egg yolks, cocoa powder, sugar and corn starch for Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream.
  • Whisk until you have a thick, smooth mixture. Set aside until the milk and vanilla come to a boil.
    Bowl with melted chocolate for Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream.
  • Once the mixture starts to boil, remove it from the heat. Slowly pour about 1/2 of the hot milk in a thin stream into the egg mix, while whisking constantly to temper the egg mixture. When the eggs have been tempered add the egg mix back into the hot milk in the saucepan. Heat the custard over medium heat while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken about 3-5 minutes depending on the heat level.
    Heavy cream and chocolate being cooked for Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream.
  • Let the custard come to a gentle boil and release some bubbles, as soon as this happens remove from the heat and add the bittersweet chocolate chips. Whisk until completely melted. If you need to slide the saucepan back over low heat to finish melting you can do so. 
    Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream being made on the stove top.
  • Once the chocolate is melted, add the butter and whisk until it's completely melted into the custard.
    Bowl of butter for Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream.
  • Immediately pour the pastry cream into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Allow it to cool off and come to room temperature and then chill in the fridge at least 4 hours or overnight. After chilled (stir if needed) and use liberally! 
    Rich Chocolate Creme Patissiere Pastry Cream covered with a layer of plastic wrap for chilling.

Notes

  • Prep time is approximate. 
  • Store Chocolate Pastry Cream with plastic wrap to seal the top for 5 days in the fridge. 
  • This makes 8 cups of Pastry Cream, halve the recipe if you don't need as much!