Chocolate Custard
Chocolate Custard
Combine custard powder and milk to make a base custard, then whisk in cocoa powder or melted chocolate until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Refrigerate until completely chilled or serve warm for a comforting dessert. Adjust sweetness to taste.
Actually, when you use custard powder, chocolate custard is eggless anyway, as the cornflour thickens the milk and eggs aren't needed. This yields a chocolate dessert that is both simple and accessible for people with eggless dietary restrictions.
Chocolate custard is made on the stovetop so that you don't need the oven. All you need to do is simmer together the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and custard powder until it thickens. Alternatively, it can be served warm or cold.
Chocolate custard needs milk, sugar, custard powder to thicken it, and either cocoa powder or melted chocolate for flavor. Sometimes it is decorated with chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa powder.
Chocolate custard will keep for about two to three days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you refrigerate overnight, a thin skin may form on top, so stir well before serving.
When too much cocoa powder is used and the sugar is not compensated for, the chocolate custard will taste bitter, not balanced. Another cause of lumping can be the direct addition of cocoa powder to hot milk without prior dissolution.
The biggest advantage to homemade chocolate custard is that you can determine how strong or how sweet you want the cocoa to be, usually using high-quality cocoa or chocolate. Store-bought chocolate custard may have artificial chocolate flavorings that make the flavor less rich and authentic.
Add a pinch of chili powder for a Mexican twist, fold in orange zest for a citrus contrast, or layer chocolate custard with crushed biscuits for a trifle-style presentation.
A premium-quality couverture dark or semi-sweet chocolate brand melts smoothly into the custard base to leave a rich, glossy finish without any graininess. Choosing a brand with a balanced cocoa content will help in reducing the overall bitterness.
The best results are gained by mixing a good-quality custard powder with a good-quality cocoa powder or couverture chocolate, as both contribute equally to the final flavor and texture rather than using one brand only.