Chocolate crémeux
Use this French pastry cream to decorate cakes, fill tarts or enjoy on its own with a dash of sea salt.
- 100ml whole milk
- 200ml double cream
- 4 egg yolks (freeze the whites for another recipe)
- 50g golden caster sugar
- ½ tbsp cornflour
- 200g dark chocolate finely chopped (around 70% cocoa solids)
- sea salt flakes to serve
- Pour the milk and cream into a small pan and cook over a low-medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk for 1-2 mins until slightly paler and thickened a little. Gradually pour the hot cream mixture over the yolks, whisking all the time, then return everything to the pan.
- Cook the mixture over a low heat, constantly stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula, until it thickens lightly and coats the back of the spatula. Don’t let it boil. Tip in the chocolate and stir until melted. Pour into a heatproof shallow container and leave to cool to room temperature, stirring now and then so it cools evenly.
- Cover the chilled crémeux and chill for at least 4 hrs or overnight until firmly set. To serve, dip a large spoon in hot water, wipe it dry, then scoop the crémeux into bowls or onto plates. Finish with a few sea salt flakes.
Use this French pastry cream to decorate cakes, fill tarts or enjoy on its own with a dash of sea salt.
Pour the milk and cream into a small pan and cook over a low-medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk for 1-2 mins until slightly paler and thickened a little. Gradually pour the hot cream mixture over the yolks, whisking all the time, then return everything to the pan.
Cook the mixture over a low heat, constantly stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula, until it thickens lightly and coats the back of the spatula. Tip in the chocolate and stir until melted. Pour into a heatproof shallow container and leave to cool to room temperature, stirring now and then so it cools evenly.
Cover the chilled crémeux and chill for at least 4 hrs or overnight until firmly set.
To serve, dip a large spoon in hot water, wipe it dry, then scoop the crémeux into bowls or onto plates. Finish with a few sea salt flakes.
