Chocolate Pastry Cream Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder until smooth.
• Pour the milk into a small saucepan with the vanilla bean. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and remove the vanilla bean. Scrape the inside of the bean and add to the pan.
• While whisking vigorously, pour 1/3 of the milk into the yolk mixture, then pour back into the saucepan. Continue to whisk constantly while simmering over low heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens into a creamy pudding consistency.
• Remove from heat, add the bittersweet chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the cream is smooth. Pour into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placed directly on the cream. Refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Steps:

• In a heatproof bowl whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt (mixture will be very stiff). In a heavy saucepan bring milk just to a boil over moderate heat and in a stream add 1/4 cup to egg mixture, whisking until smooth, and whisk in remaining 3/4 cup milk. Transfer egg mixture to pan and bring to a boil, whisking (mixture will look curdled but will become smooth as whisked). Boil pastry cream, whisking vigorously, 1 minute and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and butter, stirring until melted and combined well. Transfer hot pastry cream to a heatproof bowl and chill, surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, about 2 hours. Pastry cream may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.