Here’s How to make Caramelized White Chocolate, and then how to make custard and Caramelized White Chocolate Pastry Cream from it!
This is a fantastic baking trick to have up your sleeve, and this glorious beauty was stuffed inside Glazed Coffee Donuts and it was magnificent!
Pastry cream is one of my favorite custard desserts to whip up because it can be used in a variety of French pastries and desserts. But I often also make regular chocolate pastry cream, I’ve only recently turned my hand to making white chocolate pastry cream.
And if you want to take that white chocolate flavor and kick it up a notch, then you have to caramelize it. It turns regular, creamy, sweet white chocolate into a glorious, caramel colored sauce with an incredible caramel-fudge flavor!
As someone who doesn’t really like white chocolate (I find it simply too sweet), this completely transforms my opinion of it every time, without fail!
I learned how to do this from David Lebovitz. I haven’t changed anything about the way he does it, but I’ll outline it here for you!
How to make caramelized white chocolate
You need to find good quality white chocolate made with cocoa butter (not the other kind). Chop the white chocolate into smaller pieces.
Spread this on a tray that’s lined with a silpat (or non stick silicone baking mat).
Place the chocolate in an oven on its lowest setting (the lowest setting on my oven is “keep warm”, which is less than 200°F / 90°C.
Check every 10 minutes, and using an offset spatula, mix and re-spread the chocolate as it melts and starts to change color.
Keep checking every 10 minutes, until the white chocolate has turned (light) golden in color and is smooth. The chocolate may change texture and become a little chalky, which is why its important to mix and spread while it heats, and after it comes out of the oven too.
The smallest amount of chocolate I have used is 4 oz (113g) (about 30 minutes) and the largest amount I have used is 12 oz/ 340g (45 – 60 min). The more chocolate you use, it obviously takes longer to caramelize. The yield is 1:1 too.
To make a sauce you can thin it out with some cream. OR you can use it as a base for custard and/or cream patisserie (pastry cream).
Recipe
Caramelized White Chocolate Pastry Cream
Difficulty:
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
Caramelized white chocolate
- 226 g good quality white chocolate made with cocoa butter.
Caramelized white chocolate pastry cream
- 115 g caramelized white chocolate or substitute with storebought blonde white chocolate
- 30 g cornstarch 3 tbsp
- 2 large whole eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp sugar optional, if you would like to make it sweeter (or lightening it with whipped cream to make diplomat cream)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract/ vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp bourbon optional
- 2 cups full-fat milk or half and half (for a richer result)
Instructions:
Caramelized white chocolate
- Chop the white chocolate into very small pieces. This will ensure it will melt more evenly.226 g good quality white chocolate
- Line a half sheet pan with silpat. Silpat will be much easier than using parchment paper, as we will need to mix the chocolate as it melts. Parchment paper can wrinkle and tear during this process.
- Spread the chopped white chocolate as evenly as possible on the silpat lined pan and preheat oven to 250 F / 121 C. If your oven is convection, or has hot spots, then reduce the oven to 200 F / 95 C.
- Place the pan with the white chocolate in the oven and check on it every 10 minutes. Using an offset spatula (that is dry and clean), mix and re-spread the chocolate as it melts and starts to change color.
- Check and re-mix the melted chocolate until the white chocolate has turned (light) golden in color and is smooth. The color will be very similar to the color of peanut butter. Then it is done. The chocolate may change texture and become a little chalky, which is why its important to mix and spread while it heats, and after it comes out of the oven too.
- If the chocolate overcooks, or any water is introduced, it will sieze and turn grainy and clumpy. That's why it's important to keep an eye on it and not leave the chocolate unattended for too long.
- Once the caramelized white chocolate is the right color, the pan can be removed from the oven and let it cool down slightly.
- Remove the silpat from the pan and on a cooling rack, and allow the white chocolate to cool and harden on the silpat. Then you can break it into pieces and store it in an air tight container and use it for recipes that require melted white chocolate. You can also use the warm white chocolate as it is while it's a liquid as well.
- NOTE – The chocolate might seem a little crumbly after it sets, because the chocolate is out of temper. This is normal, and can only be fixed by tempering chocolate. For the purpose of using melted chocolate – tempering is not needed.
Caramelized White Chocolate Pastry Cream
- Place the caramelized white chocolate, milk, bourbon, salt and sugar (if using), and heat on medium heat. Stir to ensure that the chocolate and white sugar melt properly.115 g caramelized white chocolate, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp bourbon, 2 cups full-fat milk, ½ tsp sea salt
- In a separate bowl, mix the eggs + yolks, cornstarch with a whisk until smooth and the eggs are pale in color.30 g cornstarch , 2 large whole eggs, 2 large egg yolks
- When the milk starts to steam, drizzle the hot milk into the eggs slowly, while whisking the egg mix (tempering the eggs to prevent them from curdling). After drizzling in about ¾ cup of the milk and the eggs are warm, pour it back into the milk saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in the vanilla.2 tsp vanilla extract/ vanilla bean paste
- Keep stirring or whisking consistently to prevent the custard from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, or curdling. Whisk frequently to ensure that the custard heats evenly, and the mixture doesn't catch on the bottom of the pot and curdles into chunks. If the custard is thickening too fast and unevenly, remove the pot from the heat and whisk vigrously to temper the heat before returning to the stove. You may also need to lower the heat of the stove as well.
- Heat the custard while whisking frequently, until it thickens and starts to boil (the first bubbles break the surface of the custard). Once the first bubbles break the surface, whisk the custard vigrously while cooking for a further 60 seconds. This will ensure all the cornstarch is cooked and thickening the custard.
- Remove the pot from the heat and pour the custard into a bowl and place a sheet of plastic wrap over the custard (touching the surface of the custard) to prevent a skin from forming on top. Let it cool down slightly and chill in the fridge, until completely chilled and set.
- The custard will set and be firm after chilling. Before using the custard, use a whisk to break the custard and whisk it until it's smooth again. Use immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
This is so, so versatile! I just cannot tell you enough about how much we love this. We have actually piped this straight into glasses, let it set and then just had it as a pudding!
We have filled mini chocolate tarts with this delicious pastry cream (non-salty version) in these Mini Chocolate tarts with Caramelized White Chocolate pastry cream with a boozy raspberry center.
And used the salty-sweet pastry cream to fill these delicious Glazed Coffee Donuts!
The choices are truly endless. And you’re welcome! 🙂
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