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.
Recipe Spotlight
Love Mousse and Ganache? Then Why Haven’t You Made Chocolate Crémeux?
Fill a tart shell, top a cake, or relish it straight from the bowl.
By Published Feb. 3, 2022.
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.
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
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