A while back, I revealed a recipe for a chocolate crémeux, a fun little dessert that makes great use of dark chocolate that might be lying around the kitchen. For those who aren't familiar with this dessert, it's basically a type of chocolate pudding made from combining dark chocolate with an earl grey custard sauce. As long as one knows how to make a custard or at least has the discipline for following recipes to the letter, a chocolate crémeux is a no-brainer.

This next recipe is a simple variation called red velvet crémeux which gets its inspiration from the popular chocolate cake.

It's just like the normal version but with a bright red hue. Just follow the recipe to the letter and enjoy.

The recipe

Crémeux ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 8 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • Few drops red food coloring

Frosting ingredients

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 splash milk (optional)

The directions

Chocolate crémeux directions

  1. Pour the heavy cream, milk, and half of the sugar into a medium saucepan and whisk together until the sugar completely dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
  2. Whisk together the egg yolks, and remaining sugar in a small bowl until smooth and pale. Pour a small amount of the boiled cream into the yolk mixture and whisk together to temper the latter. Transfer the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan and stir together with the wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to let the custard simmer and continue stirring it until it turns thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
  3. Chop the chocolate on a white board and transfer to a large bowl along with the salt. Add the chocolate and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the chocolate melts and is fully incorporated. Stir in the red food coloring by the drop until it reaches a bright red tint.
  4. Cover the finished chocolate crémeux with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing it down onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Leave covered to cool.

Frosting directions

  1. Leave the cream cheese and butter out in room temperature to soften before starting.
  2. Divide the cream cheese and butter in cubes. Cream together the cubes and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  3. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk and beat in.

Assembly directions

  1. When the chocolate crémeux turns warm, use it to fill 8 serving glasses by 3/4 way each.
  2. Filling the remaining 1/4 of of the glasses with the cream cheese frosting.

Serves: 8
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