Low Carb Chocolate Pastry Cream

Directions

• Ready a strainer by the stove, finely chop the chocolate and have the butter ready.
• Place the cream and almond milk in a medium sauce pan or pot (about a 6 cup capacity), and turn the heat to medium – low.
• Add the erythriltol, xanthan gum, unsweetened cocoa powder and salt to a medium heat-proof mixing bowl and mix together with a small whisk. Add the 2 whole eggs and the three yolks to the dry ingredients in the bowl and whisk together.
• If bubbling and simmering hasn’t occurred around the sides of the saucepan, turn the heat up to medium until it does. Then turn-off the heat and while whisking the egg mixture continuously, pour all of the cream into the mixing bowl in a thin stream.
• Put the pot back on the stove and scrape the egg and cream mixture into the pot. Quickly rinse out the bowl, swipe with a paper towel, and set next to the stove with the strainer over the top.
• Turn the heat to medium low and begin whisking the pastry cream mixture. Nothing will happen for about 2 1/2 minutes and then it will start to thicken-up slightly. Whisk a little faster. At about the 3 – 3 1/2 minute mark, it will begin to thicken. Whisk briskly and cook for 1 minute more BUT don’t let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble. A lazy simmer is fine.
• Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove, still whisking briskly for another minute. Whisk in the vanilla extract, low calorie natural sweetener, chopped sugar-free dark chocolate and butter. Then, pour the pastry cream through the strainer, catching any cooked egg bits.
• To cool, push a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the surface of the pastry cream and place in the refrigerator OR make a water bath by putting ice and water in a large bowl, setting the smaller bowl with the pastry cream into the water bath, and stirring until cool. Then cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or best if overnight.