Looking for a chocolate cream that sets well without feeling heavy, with a smooth texture from the very first spoonful? This chocolate pastry cream delivers exactly that: just firm enough, silky on the palate, with a clean cocoa flavor.
It’s made with plant-based milk, plant-based butter, and dark chocolate. Once chilled, it sets enough to fill choux pastry or a tart, but it’s also delicious eaten as is. This recipe joins my other gluten-free basics.
What is gluten- and lactose-free chocolate pastry cream?
It’s a vanilla pastry cream enriched with dark chocolate. Here, it’s made without gluten or lactose, using plant-based milk, cornstarch instead of custard powder, and plant-based butter. The base should stay intentionally quite loose as it cooks, almost like a slightly runny pudding, because the chocolate and plant-based butter will firm it up afterward.
It’s mainly used to fill cream puffs, cakes layered with chocolate pastry cream, and tarts, though it can just as easily be served on its own. As it cools, it sets more firmly, which makes it especially practical for assembling desserts.
Main ingredients
Oat milk is the best choice here. It gives a naturally creamy texture, comes close to the richness of whole milk, and works especially well when you want a smooth, rich pastry cream without dairy. It also pairs beautifully with chocolate without overpowering the cocoa flavor.
If you want to switch things up, soy or almond milk will give you a lighter result. Coconut milk, especially full-fat, adds extra richness. Rice milk works in a pinch, but it’s thinner and gives a less rich texture than oat or coconut milk. Whatever you choose, use unsweetened plant-based milk so the final flavor stays balanced.
Plant-based butter matters just as much for flavor as it does for texture. Naturli Vegan Block is the first option to try: it’s rich and close to traditional butter on the palate, though it’s mostly available in Europe. If you can’t find it, Miyoko’s Creamery works well, and Flora Plant Butter is another solid choice, firm enough to cook without separating.
To thicken the cream, this recipe uses cornstarch instead of custard powder. It’s naturally gluten-free and works beautifully. You can also use arrowroot, but it thickens faster and needs some adjustment; otherwise, the cream can become too thick and slightly gelatinous. Tapioca starch or flour also works, with a slightly different texture.
Dark chocolate has a major impact on the flavor and final result. Choose at least 70% cacao for a cleaner taste and because it’s naturally dairy-free, but still check the label to make sure it’s gluten-free. For a milder cream, you can go down to 60% or 50%, though the flavor profile will change. If you want a deeper chocolate flavor, go as high as 85%.
Technical tips and pitfalls to avoid
This recipe is measured by weight, using metric units, for accuracy. With a cream like this, a few grams more or less can quickly change the final texture.
Before cooking
Heat the oat milk over medium heat until hot, but do not let it boil. Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch, egg yolks, and sugar until completely smooth and lump-free.
Tempering the yolks
Slowly pour ⅓ of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. This step tempers the eggs before you return the whole mixture to the saucepan. Once the mixture has loosened, pour it back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.
Cooking
Cook over low to medium heat, whisking constantly. The cream should thicken in 5 to 8 minutes and reach a soft, pudding-like consistency, not a stiff mass. As soon as it gets there, remove it from the heat.
Finishing with chocolate
Off the heat, stir in the cold plant-based butter and chopped dark chocolate. Keep mixing until the chocolate has completely melted and the cream is perfectly smooth. For an even silkier texture, blend it with an immersion blender.
Storage
Transfer the cream to a container, then press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating. As it chills, it will firm up, which is exactly what you want for a filling.
You’ll find the rest of my gluten-free recipes there too.
Recipe developed by Chef Rommel Reyes. Find more of his work on Instagram, his Substack newsletter, and his YouTube channel.
Ingredients
- 500 g oat or soy milk gluten-free
- 80 g egg yolks
- 60 g sugar
- 25 g cornstarch
- 1 vanilla bean or 2 g vanilla powder or 10 g vanilla extract
- 50 g lactose-free butter gluten-free/lactose-free
- 165 g dark chocolate 70% lactose-free/gluten-free
Instructions
Prepare the milk and egg mixture
- Heat the oat milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks, and sugar until smooth.
- Slowly pour ⅓ of the hot oat milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper it.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook and chill
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a light, silky pudding consistency.
- This should take about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat once the pastry cream has thickened.
- Stir in the cold lactose-free butter and chopped dark chocolate.
- Stir until the chocolate has fully melted and the cream is smooth.
- For an ultra-smooth, creamy texture, blend with an immersion blender.
- Transfer to a container.
- Cover the surface with plastic wrap.
- Let the pastry cream cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Let it set as it cools.
- Use to fill pastries or serve on its own.
