This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

This may sound odd coming from a sugarphile, but I don’t usually order dessert when eating out. I eat so many sweets at work and at home as it is, I feel like it has to be really worth it for me to spend my dining-out calories on more dessert.

But when the husband and I were having lunch at Fraiche in Santa Monica this past week, I abandoned my anti-dessert stance and suggested we split a dessert. (By the way, lunch was fantastic and Friache is highly recommended to any fellow Angelenos.) Inspired partially by coconut month, we decided to order the Milk Chocolate Cremeux with Coconut Sorbet, Browned Butter Ganache and Candied Pecans.

The dessert was so good, I forgave the snooty waitress for smirkily correcting my pronunciation of “cremeux.” Apparently the proper pronunciation is crque-mruouuouo.

I also forgave her for saying “That was fast!” with more than a touch of condescension when she came to clear away our plates. I wanted to say, “Listen lady, I had to share this weensy square of crque-mruouuouo with a man affectionately known around my house as “the ravenous ravenous rhino,” whose arms are twice the length of mine and who possesses an uncanny knack for asking a question just to get me talking while he shovels in as much dessert as he possibly can in the 5-10 seconds I spend answering it. The speed of my eating this dessert is not greed so much as a legitimate concern for self, thank you.” Instead, my snark was mellowed by a belly full of dessert, so I simply said “It was great!” in a fake chirpy voice.

I liked this dessert so much, I decided to recreate it when I got home. The basic elements were: the milk chocolate cremeux, a creamy mousse-like dessert with perhaps a bit more body than your standard mousse. What was special about it was that it really didn’t seem sweet at all–it had a smooth chocolate flavor but none of the cloying sweetness of so many milk chocolate desserts. The coconut sorbet brought the sweetness with a smooth, light texture. I substituted candied walnuts for pecans (what I had on hand) and created a crispy chocolate topping to go with it–Fraiche’s version had slivered chocolate that added some texture and crunch. I omitted the browned butter ganache, which looked like sad spaghetti strands on the plate and which didn’t add much to the dish for my taste.

Success! We thought the recreation tasted very similar to the original, and it reminded us of how awesome this dessert was in the first place. The best part is that everything was really easy to make. The cremeux comes together in about 15 minutes, then just requires a little freezing until it is firm enough to cut and plate. The sorbet is a no-cook recipe that needs a few minutes in an ice cream maker to freeze, and the toppings are literally 5 minutes each. I had it all made and photographed in the space of a morning.

This experience also reminded me how useful it can be to order dessert out sometimes–it gives me new ideas, exposes me to new recipes and flavor combinations, and just recharges the creative batteries. And now we have a great new recipe for our next dinner party–no snooty waitstaff required.

Chocolate Cremeux

5 from 1 vote

By Elizabeth LaBau

This Chocolate Cremeux with Coconut Sorbet has a bit more body than your standard mousse is smooth without the cloying sweetness of so many milk chocolate desserts. The coconut sorbet brought the sweetness with a smooth, light texture.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 0

Total Time 30

Yield

Calories 172 kcal

Ingredients

US Standard or Metric

▢ 3/4 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin, (or 1 gelatin sheet)
▢ 159 g milk, (I used 1%)
▢ 102 g milk chocolate, chopped
▢ 24 g dark chocolate, (70%), chopped
▢ 38 g large egg yolks, (about 2 large)
▢ 15 g granulated sugar, divided use
▢ 127 g heavy cream
▢ big pinch of salt

CUSTOMIZE: 8

Instructions

Place 1 tbsp cold water in a very small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside to bloom while you continue preparing the recipe.
In a large, heat-proof bowl, combine the milk chocolate and dark chocolate. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and half of the sugar.
In a small saucepan, bring the milk, cream, salt, and remaining sugar to a simmer. As it comes to a simmer, place the gelatin bowl in the microwave and heat for about 15 seconds, just until the gelatin liquefies.
Temper the hot milk into the egg yolks: slowly drizzle a little hot liquid into the yolks, whisking constantly, until about half of the hot liquid has been incorporated. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and return it to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 182 F.
Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the liquid gelatin. Pour the hot mixture over the chopped chocolate, and gently stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Do not whisk too vigorously, or you’ll create air bubbles.
Pour the cremeux into your desired molds: bowls, glasses, ring molds, or one large pan to cut later. If you want to use a large pan, I suggest lining it with parchment or foil so you can pull it out later and cut cleanly. Refrigerate to set the cremeux. If you’ll be cutting it, place it in the freezer until it is firm enough to cut and handle cleanly.

MEASURING TIPS

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Click here to learn more about baking measurements and conversion.

Nutrition

Share on Pinterest