CHOCOLATE CHIP PASTRY CREAM

Chocolate Chip Pastry Cream image

You can use this rich, custard-y chocolate cream for almost any cake, cookie or pastry that requires a filling. Italian-American culinary traditionalists will bristle at the thought, but we think it would be delicious piped into a cannoli shell.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories dessert

Time 1h

Yield About 2 cups of filling

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

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.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 184, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 9 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 19 milligrams, Sugar 22 grams