Dark Chocolate Crémeux for Two
A decadent, silky smooth Dark Chocolate Crémeux custard with Pomegranate Gelée that is so delicious you will be transported to pure bliss.
Servings: 2 servings*
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Crémeux
- 2 egg yolks room-temperature
- 38 grams 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
- 118 milliliters ½ cup whole milk
- 118 milliliters ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- 85 grams 3 ounces 60% - 75% dark chocolate, disks, féves, or chopped (See Note: b.)
- 5 milliliters 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pomegranate Gelée (Optional)
- ¼ teaspoon powdered gelatin See Note: c.
- 49 milliliters 3 tablespoons plus one teaspoon pomegranate juice, freshly-squeezed or not from concentrate, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 - 3 tablespoons fresh pomegranate arils
Optional Serving Recommendations
- Fresh whipped cream
- Cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for garnish
*Unless otherwise noted, The Sage Apron recipes are developed using Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt. If using iodized or table salt, reduce quantities by about half.
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Creméux
- Gather, measure and prepare the recipe ingredients as listed. For the most consistent results, we recommend using metric weight measurements whenever possible
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, sugar and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, warm milk, cream and espresso powder, if using, over medium-low heat until scalding or 82 degrees celsius (180 degrees fahrenheit). Remove from heat and begin to temper eggs by adding a small splash of the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking. In a slow and steady stream, while constantly whisking, incorporate all of the milk and cream into the eggs. This is the base of your custard, return the mixture to your saucepan.
- Cook your custard over medium-low heat, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until the mixture is reminiscent of melted ice cream and thick enough to coat the back of your stirring tool.
- Meanwhile, add chocolate and vanilla to your mixing bowl. Once thickened, pour your hot custard over the chocolate and stir until completely melted and smooth. (See Note: d.)
- Strain your crémeux through a fine mesh strainer to ensure a perfectly smooth texture. Pour the hot crémeux into a serving vessel of your choice. We like to show off the layers in a stemless wine glass but any glass, ramekin or small dish will work well. Gently tap the filled vessel on a towel-lined countertop to expel any potential air bubbles and level the crémeux. Chill the crémeux in the refrigerator while you prepare the pomegranate gelée.
Pomegranate Gelée
- Gather, measure and prepare the recipe ingredients as listed.
- In a small dish or ramekin, sprinkle the gelatin over 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) of pomegranate juice. Let stand.
- In a separate dish, warm the remaining pomegranate juice until nearly boiling. (See Note: e.) Dissolve sugar in juice and add to gelatin. Stir well until gelatin is fully combined. Remove the crémeux from the refrigerator, and gently pour the pomegranate gelée over the crémeux surface. You can pour the gelée over the back of a spoon to help leave the chocolatey surface perfectly even and undisturbed.
- Sprinkle the pomegranate arils into the gelée and cover the vessel in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to enjoy, serve chilled and topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder, as desired.
Notes
a. If you would like to increase this recipe to create six portions, use the following measurements: 354 milliliters (¾ cup) whole milk, 354 milliliters (¾ cup) heavy cream, 3 teaspoons instant espresso (optional), 6 egg yolks, 39 grams (½ + 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sea or kosher salt, 255 grams (9 ounces) dark chocolate**, 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract. Follow production instructions through Step 5. Instead of using one vessel, divide custard evenly amongst six glasses or ramekins and proceed as instructed above.
b. As always, we recommend scaling your ingredients by weight. In the case of chocolate - every chocolate will have a unique weight to volume ratio, depending on size, density, cacao content, and more. Basically, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to converting to volume measurements - your chopped Belgian chocolate will differ in weight to our French féves. That being said, we have found that 85 grams of most chocolates will be between ¾ - 1 cup of volume.
c. This recipe was developed with Knox brand gelatin. While not a sponsor, we recommend using the widely available Knox gelatin to ensure success in this recipe. Some brands of gelatin will react differently to the highly-acidic nature of pomegranate juice.
d. Occasionally, some brands of chocolate may not melt completely from the heat of the custard alone. In this case, return the cremeux to your saucepan and stir over low heat until evenly colored and fully melted.
e. While you need hot liquids to fully dissolve and distribute your gelatin, exceeding boiling temperatures (100 degrees celsius or 212 degrees fahrenheit) can cause gelatin to weaken and potentially fail to set once cooled. If you overheat your pomegranate juice, allow it to cool to below boiling temperatures before adding to the gelatin.
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