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Love Mousse and Ganache? Then Why Haven’t You Made Chocolate Crémeux?

By Alyssa Vaughn Published

Fill a tart shell, top a cake, or relish it straight from the bowl.

You, a certified chocolate devotee, are no stranger to the chocolate cream canon. You’ve already scooped chocolate ganache into truffles, slathered it atop your sheet cakes, and raked it with a fork to make a handsome bark for your yule log. You’ve made your share of chocolate mousse, extra-chocolatey vegan chocolate mousse, and triple-chocolate mousse cake. And, as much as you love the dark, dense intensity of the former and the fluffy lightness of the latter, you can’t help but wish there was a cream that bridged the gap between the two. Enter: Chocolate crémeux.

Chocolate crémeux is the best of both worlds when it comes to chocolate creams. It’s made by melting chocolate (of any type) with a rich custard of dairy and eggs, resulting in a smooth, silky, pudding-like mixture that’s softer than ganache, but richer than mousse.

A Spectrum of Chocolate Creams

 

Ganache

Warm heavy cream poured over chopped chocolate, stirred until smoothly emulsified. Quite dense and intensely flavored. Used as a filling for truffles, cakes, and also as a finish for tarts and tortes. 

 

Crémeux 

Made similarly to a ganache, but the chocolate is melted with a warm custard made with dairy and eggs, resulting in a creamier texture. Butter may be added to increase silkiness, flavor and firmness.

 

Mousse 

Melted chocolate lightened with whipped cream and lightly sweetened whipped egg whites, sometimes with added gelatin for extra body. Used as a stand-alone dessert, or as a filling for cake. 

This velvety chocolate emulsion is ultra-versatile, equally as stunning piped atop a cake or eaten straight up in small servings, similar to pudding or pots de creme. Our favorite way to enjoy it, though, is in our milk chocolate crémeux tart: Our crisp pâte sucrée tart shell is elegantly slim, allowing it to cradle maximum silky chocolate filling.

Recipe Milk Chocolate Crémeux Tart

This crisp, elegantly slim, and shockingly simple pâte sucrée crust should be in every baker's back pocket.

Get the Recipe

Chocolate-Espresso Dacquoise

Recipe Chocolate-Espresso Dacquoise

This multilayered showpiece of meringue and buttercream coated in ganache might just be the best dessert you’ll ever make—plus you can prepare it the day before.

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Recipe Millionaire's Shortbread

Britain’s triple-decker combo of buttery cookie, sweet caramel, and dark chocolate makes a perfect holiday gift. But only if every layer is flawless.

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Recipe Chocolate-Covered Caramels

In the confection world, no candy is quite as sophisticated as the chocolate-cloaked salted caramel.

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JC
JOHN C.
16 days

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.

MD
MILES D.
JOHN C.
9 days

Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!

CM
CHARLES M.
11 days

John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.