Chocolate Filling

It's Yummy! What more can I say? This filling is excellent with pastry, doubles as cake icing, and can be as posh as black tie all by itself. For extra pizazz replace 1/2 cup of milk with 1/2 cup of strong coffee and garnish with hazelnuts. Anything goes with chocolate! This recipe has endless possibilities.

Versatility was very important in the tearoom. Tea Luncheons were all about taking basic recipes and reusing them in creative ways. This filling was used in layered dishes, meringues, pastry cones, tarts, choux pastry and mini cakes.

To get your filling its' smoothest, keep your microwave times short and whisk often. Do not let the milk, flour, and sugar mixture rest in the microwave. As soon as you take it out be sure to whisk it briskly right away. If you do not, the flour will continue to cook and turn lumpy. This I have learned from many wasted batches of yummy chocolate filling.

• 2 cups of milk
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cups white sugar
• 1 dollop butter (heaping tablespoon)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks

1. Fill an 8 cup glass measuring bowl with milk, sugar, and flour.
2. Whisk and microwave for 2 minutes on high.
3. Repeat the above step until bubbles form and mixture becomes thick and smooth.
4. Separate egg yolks into a small mixing bowl. Set egg whites aside for other uses such as meringue nests.
5. Pour some of the hot liquid into the small bowl of egg yolks and whisk briefly together.
6. Pour warmed yolks into the hot mixture.
7. Whisk until smooth.
8. Cook in a microwave for another 2 minutes and whisk.
9. Add butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla.
10. Whisk until smooth.
11. Store in a plastic bag ready for piping into pastry or keep in a container. Better yet, serve it up hot with sliced fruit.

Store in a Piping Bag