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chocolate pastry cream recipe

Chocolate Pastry Cream (Crema Pasticcera al Cioccolato)

Silvana Nava
Chocolate Pastry Cream (crema pasticcera al cioccolato) is a basic dessert in Italian pastry. It’s the chocolate version of the traditional Italian Crema Pasticcera, also known as Italian custard.
To make this delightful treat, you'll need just a few simple ingredients: milk, eggs, sugar, a little bit of flour, and of course, dark chocolate. These ingredients combine to create a rich, chocolatey flavor and a smooth, velvety texture that is simply divine.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 474 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 80 g granulated sugar - ~⅓ cup
  • 40 g flour - ⅓ cup
  • 500 ml milk - 2 cups
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean - or zest of half lemon (optional)
  • 200 g dark chocolate - 7 oz

Instructions
 

  • Chop the chocolate roughly on a cutting board so it's ready to add your mixture. Set the chopped chocolate aside for now.
  • In a saucepan, mix the egg yolks and sugar using a wooden spoon.
  • Gradually add sifted flour, stirring continuously for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Then set it aside.
  • Heat the milk until it’s almost boiling. You can add lemon zest or vanilla for extra flavor, but this is optional.
  • Take the milk off the heat and slowly pour it into the egg, sugar, and flour mixture, stirring constantly. Return the mixture to low heat and cook for another 3-4 minutes, still stirring. Make sure the custard does not boil.
  • When the pastry cream has thickened well, add the chopped chocolate to the hot cream.
  • Turn off the heat and keep stirring until the chocolate is fully melted and blended into the cream.
  • Pour the hot chocolate pastry cream into a cold container and cover it with cling film directly touching the surface. Let it cool at room temperature for a bit, then place it in the refrigerator to chill completely (this will take at least 1 hour).

Nutrition

Serving: 100gCalories: 474kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 11gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 211mgSodium: 66mgPotassium: 492mgFiber: 4gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 483IUCalcium: 211mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Italian chocolate custard, Italian chocolate pastry cream
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