If there is one ingredient which Pastry Chefs feel a bit uneasy about using in the pastry kitchen, it must be white chocolate. We know very well that many people consider white chocolate not real chocolate and most of us are not smitten with white chocolate the same way as we are with milk and or dark chocolate. However, at times just a piece of good quality chocolate can be satisfying. To make a dessert containing white chocolate successful I like to incorporate several textures such as Gerbet macaron, Pate de fruit, streusel….Some fruits I like to harmonize with white chocolate include Red and black currants, raspberries, tart cherries and others.
Preparations containing white chocolate need to be made with a minimum of sugar or the result will be simply too sweet. Therefore white chocolate cannot be used the same way dark chocolate can. For example a dark chocolate mousse may contain a meringue while using a meringue in a white chocolate mousse would make it way too sweet.
In this white chocolate cremeux only a minimum amount of sugar is used to have a balanced level of sweetness.
White Chocolate Cremeux
Yield: 6-8 servings
| 1Cup | 8 oz | Whipping cream | 240 g |
| 1 Cup | 8 oz | Milk | 240 g |
| ½ | ½ | Vanilla bean | ½ |
| 5 | 5 | Egg yolks | 5 |
| 2 Tbsp | 1 oz | Extra fine granulated sugar | 30 g |
| 1 | 1 | Gelatin leaf (optional) bloomed | 1 |
| 9 oz | 9 oz | White chocolate | 270 g |
| 1 Tbsp | 0.5 oz | Kirsch (optional) | 15 g |
- Pay close attention to the method and temperatures to avoid a disappointing result.
- Bring the cream, milk and vanilla bean to a boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile in a bowl, whisk the egg yolks smooth and very rapidly whisk in the sugar. Make sure no egg yolk and sugar lumps are still visible.
- Pour a quarter of the boiling cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk quickly. Pour the tempered egg mixture into the heated cream and on low heat stir the mixture to 183⁰F (81⁰C) while CONSTANTLY stirring using a rubber spatula. Remove from heat and pour into another bowl to stop the cooking process. Add the bloomed gelatin leaf if using. (Using the gelatin will naturally provide a slight firmer setting)
- Add the chocolate and using an immersion blender or whisk blend the mixture smooth. Add the liquor and pour into glasses and place covered in a refrigerator.
- The cremeux will set in a few hours. Serve with sour cherry coulis, Gerbet macaroons, streusel and fresh cherries.
This looks so good… the perfect cool down on a warm day! ;0)
Beautiful! It looks yummy!
It looks delicious, I really love the addition of the macaroons. 🙂 Bren
I really love the addition of the macaroons. 🙂 Bren
Hey Chef Eddy!!! those cremeux look amizingly delicious great job as always, regards from Mexico.
I had some problems with white chocolate mousse. I tried to make it using the same ratio as for my dark chocolate mousse, but I had to adjust the consistency with gelatin because it came out runny. I suppose it is because dark chocolate has more fibers that absorb more liquid. Is that true?
Without gelatin It comes out foamy and with a pleasant texture, but too runny for an entremet.
I found that just white chocolate, egg yolks and cream create a perfect mousse for entremet, although it is not very safe, and when I try to use pate a bombe or pastry cream or zabaione or something like this I have to add gelatin.
Do you think it is normal or I just have to adjust my recipes?
It looks wonderful. The flavors and textures that are decribed should add to the senusal delight of one’s tatste buds, especially the red currants.
I made this one with lemon zest strawberries and streusel . Its delicious but i think its nescessary to use all of the gelatin!
Tasos,
Great to hear that the white chocolate cremeux worked out well for you.
My best, Eddy.
chef
I must say that this very delightful, but I not really a fan of cherries. I did like the passion fruit white chocolate mousse that we did in the class on this week. It wasnt to thick it was just right, creamy and enjoyable.
It is a very delicios and easy recipe, and if you flavor it with passion fruit as we did in class, Awesome!