Chocolate Pastry Cream

This recipe is from Cake Love by Warren Brown. It is very sweet, but very good. If you feel the need/desire to add chocolaty sweetness to a cake, this will do it! I used a layer of this in making german chocolate cake (Chocolate Butter Cake with Coconut Buttercream).

Milk Mixture:

• 2 cups whole milk

Yolk Mixture:

• 3 eggs
• 7 egg yolks
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 24 ounces (3 cups) extra-fine granulated sugar
• 2 ounces (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup potato starch
• 2 T. flour

Butter:

• 8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

Separate the eggs and yolks into a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract and whisk to combine; set aside. Mix the dry ingredients into a separate bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.

Measure the milk into a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat but keep the saucepan on the stove. Meanwhile, combine the yolk mixture and the dry ingredients.

Return the milk mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Once it reaches a simmer, slowly pour it into the yolk mixture, whisking slowly in small circles at first and ending with broader strokes until fully combined (it may be helpful to put a damp towel underneath the bowl or to have someone hold it to prevent it from sliding while you stir). Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Return the saucepan to the stove and heat over medium heat, whisking constantly but not rapidly, for about 4 minutes (high altitude: 3 minutes). The key is to keep the pastry cream moving so it won't scorch on the bottom of the saucepan. When you begin to see lava bubbles—large, slowly forming bubble that burp steam—reduce the heat to the lowest setting and whisk briskly for 1 minute to pasteurize the pastry cream.

Pour the pastry cream into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover with plastic pressed against the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Immediately refrigerate for at least 3 hours before using.