Entremet Recipe – creme brulee, chocolate mousse, chocolate brownie
The perfect dessert for someone who likes a little bit of everything. “This is the yummiest thing I have ever tasted in my life”, was a comment from one of our beautiful dinner guests. Entremets are amazing to eat but can seem complex to make because of the sheer number of elements involved. Here is my secret… make the individual components on seperate occassions as individual desserts for guests (chocolate mousse one night, creme brulee another…). Double each recipe and freeze what you need for the entremet.
What is an entremet? In pastry chef terms it is a multi layered dessert using different textures – something cakey, creamy, crunchy, jelly and moussey. Each of these textural components should be chosen to give a perfectly balanced contrast of flavours and of course it should be beautifully presented.
In this recipe we have orange creme brulee (creamy), chocolate mousse (moussey), chocolate brownie (cakey), chocolate wafer pieces (crunch), and chocolate glacage (jelly). Sometimes I also add a fresh raspberry jelly layer but did not on this occasion. Once you have made a few you will be confident enough to experiment with your own combination of layers, flavours and textures.
If you want to make it quickly follow this order: 1-brulee (freeze), 2-glacage (leave overnight), 3-brownie 4-chocolate crispies, mousse (freeze whole entremet). You will still need a couple of days, unless you have a blast freezer.
Creme brulee recipe – makes enough for two large entremet centres
3 cups or 714g (25.19 ounces) cream (35% fat)
1/2 cup or 108g (3.81 ounces) sugar
rind of one orange grated
7 egg yolks or 105g (3.7 ounces)
Preheat oven to 150C (302 degrees Fahrenheit).
Bring the cream, sugar and rind to the boil. Take off the heat and let the flavour infuse for 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer. Whisk egg yolks, slowly add the cream mixture, whisking continuously.
Pour into a dish that is ovenproof and the desired shape – I use a dome shaped pasta bowl but you could use a cup. Place the bowl into a large oven dish with water – ensuring that the water comes up the outside of the bowl to at least the same level as the brulee is on the inside. If you do not do this it will overheat and split – this is where the egg coagulates into little lumps a bit like scrambled egg floating in the oil from the cream. Ensure that you do not get any water in the brulee. If find it easiest the put the whole thing in the oven and then top up the water in the baking dish from a jug.
Bake for approx 25 minutes – depending on the size of you bowl or until it is set but still jiggly in the middle. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely then cover with cling wrap and freeze.
Chocolate Crisps
Often entremet recipes call for feuilletine flakes, I have not been able to get these at a reasonable price here in Australia. I substitute them for either crushed fortune cookies or crushed wafer sticks. Apparently you can also use rice bubbles but I think they have quite a distinctive flavour so chose not to. Whatever you are using crush into small pieces (not crumbs) and then mix in a bowl with enough melted milk chocolate to lightly cover every bit. Then pour onto a tray covered in baking paper and allow to set.
Chocolate brownie Base recipe
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 2Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1 cup or 216g (7.62 ounces) sugar
teaspoon vanilla and dash marsala (optional)
3/4 cup or 120g (4.23 ounces) flour (for those with coeliac I have tested this recipe with gluten free flour and it works well)
1/4 cup or 30g (1.06 ounces) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Preheat oven to 180C (356 degrees Fahrenheit).
Melt butter in the microwave, beat in eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and a dash of marsala.
Mix in flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
Pour into a swiss roll pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cut a circle the size of your entremet base.
Chocolate mousse recipe
This type of mousse based on italian meringue can not be frozen for a longer than a week so if you are making along way ahead use a gelatin based chocolate mousse instead. (makes enough for one entremet)
150g (5.29 ounces) dark chocolate
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 2Tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp glucose syrup
2 tablespoons or 30 millilitres (1.01 fluid ounces) water
2 egg whites or 36g (1.27 ounces) egg whites
100 millilitres (3.38 fluid ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1Tbsp and 1tsp whipped cream
Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool, then fold in whipped cream. Separate egg whites and whip to stiff peaks. Put sugar syrup and water in a saucepan,stir until it boils, wash down sides of the pan with pastry brush and water. Boil unstirred until temp reaches 120C (248 degrees Fahrenheit). Whisk the egg whites on high speed and pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream. Whisk until cooled.
Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg white. Place into a bowl not quite to the top. Add in the frozen creme brulee and level top with mousse.
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Sprinkle the top with chocolate crisps and then place a circle of chocolate brownie on top. Double wrap in plastic and put in the freezer.
Chocolate glacage recipe
The glacage needs to be made at least the day before you need it, you can store it in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks. The entremet should be frozen for glazing and then defrosted in the fridge. (makes enough for 4 entremets, you can make less or store excess in freezer until needed)
Ingredients:
20g (0.71 ounces) or 1Tbsp plus 1tsp powdered gelatin bloomed in 90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup cold water
200g (7.05 ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 4tsp cream (35% fat)
300g (10.58 ounces) or 1 1/3 cup plus 1Tbsp sugar
90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup additional water
100g (3.53 ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 1Tbsp cocoa powder (cocoa will effect the flavour – I like to use cadburys)
250g (8.82 ounces) or 2/3 cup plus 2tsp glucose syrup
Directions:
Mix the gelatin with the cold water (90g (3.17 ounces)) and set aside.
Heat the sugar, cream and remaining 90g (3.17 ounces) of water until it boils.
Remove from heat, add glucose and sifted cocoa powder.
Stir in the gelatin and mix well.
Strain through a metal sieve
Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight
To use the glaze follow video instructions below – melt in the microwave in 10sec bursts until reaches 28-33C (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
Cake or entremet to be glazed should be frozen, rub off any ice crystals. Note if you can not get it out of the bowl place the bowl in a sink of hot water to slightly melt the outermost layer- do not allow the water to go into the dessert.
Scoop and pour glaze over entremet allowing excess to drip onto a tray.
Once set transfer to serving plate and decorate.
Glacage recipe credit to: patissierjourney
Sugar Decorations
For step by step instructions on making spun sugar decorations see this post spun sugar recipe
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Hi, I wanted to ask for how many people this creme-brulee-chocolate-mousse-chocolate brownie is?
Hi Nadine, It depends what size you would like to make the servings. It should make 10-12 servings with ease.
please make this
Here’s the picture of the entremet cake that i mentioned on youtube. It was so pretty and yummy! The chocolate decorations really made it shine.
Awesome Mimiko, so great to see you’ve been baking up a storm with entremets, truffles and chocolate cream cake.
I don’t know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everyone else experiencing problems with your blog.
It appears as though some of the text on your posts are running off
the screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them as well?
This might be a problem with my web browser because I’ve had
this happen before. Cheers
Seems Ok at this end, anyone else?
We’re a group of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community.
Your site offered us with useful info to work on.
You’ve performed an impressive job and our entire neighborhood will be grateful to you.
I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought
this post was good. I do not know who you are but definitely you’re
going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
Hello Ann!!!
My questions have already been answered. A wonderful person named Cleon have already asked my question and you have answered it. I must have overlooked the comment. I am very sorry about that.
I would like to try to make this cake, it is not easy but a bit simple then “Le Papillon” cake, I have seen it on TV on Poh’s Kitchen.
Very Sorry,
Rand.
Hi Rand it looks nice but yes because of the layers you would need to make it in stages.
Hi Ann!!
Can please you tell me how big is your container? 7 inch, 8 inch? I meant, the container in which you have assembled all the final components of the dessert…mousse, creme brulee, and chocolate brownie. How many people can I serve this dessert?
Thank You!!
Rand.
Hi ann i was making this and i noticed the creme brulee split like what you said is their anyway i could save it? Thank you
Hi Marina, once it has split there is no way to ‘unsplit it’
Since I’m not a huge chocolate fan I just want to suggenst a twist on this that I tried and found lovely. Instead of orange I flavouerd the creme brulee with cinnamon (4 cinnamon sticks for the size of brulee) and replaced the brownie with a vanilla cake. With apple mousse and a light dusting of powdered cinnamon and skiping the glacage it made a real nice summer treat.
Hello Ann!!!
Will it be a disaster if I mix glucose with cream, sugar and water bring it to a boil then sift in cocoa powder and them add gelatin?
At the bottom of the recipe it is written “To use the glaze follow video instructions below – melt in the microwave in 10sec bursts until reaches 28-330C”. Is it twenty eight to thirty three degree centigrade or is it twenty eight to three hundred and thirty degree centigrade? I am probably asking a silly question but I have no idea about how far a centigrade or fahrenheit works on measuring temperature for food, chocolate or candies.
Thank You
thanks rand, should be 28-33, i have corrected it
Hi,
In your Creme brulee recipe, it said the portion will be enough for two large entremet centres. But did you use one for this dome cake only? Also, may I know the size of this cake? 6″ or 8″? Can it be generously served to 5 people? Thanks for answer my questions in advance! 🙂
Hi Cleon, yes I only used one in this dome cake. It can generously serve 8 people as it is very rich. The bowl I used was 7.5″ diameter at the top and just over 4″ tall
Hai ann I loved watching ur videos .will the mousse come out neatly like cake if tilted ?
Hi Sheena, yes the mousse sets firm enough to slice.
I have several recipes that call for glucose syrup. I have searched all over the Internet and can’t find it in small quantities for the home baker. Some sites sell corn syrup under the same name. Is it a good substitute for glucose syrup? Or, is inverted sugar better? Please advise. Thanks!
Hi Antonia, yes swap for equal amounts of corn syrup.
Hi Ann, thank you for answering my question! Now I can make that cake!
Are all your measurements on the site in UK or US standards? I know you mentioned the cups are different for the macaron recipe but I wasn’t sure if that was the case for everything else. You’re an amazing baker by the way!!
Hi sweet tooth, all the measurements are australian or UK, 1 cup=250ml. In most recipes the slight variation in cup size will make very little difference. In the macaron recipe it is more important to be exact which is why I mentioned it there.
instead of caster sugar, can I use confectioner’s sugar?
hi Sheanalyn Rey do you mean for on top? If so then not if it has cornstarch in it, yes if it is pure sugar, but the brûlée torch might blow it off the top before it melts it.
how about on the mousse, one of its ingredients is caster sugar, is it okay to use confectioners instead? i cant find any caster here in our place.
Hi sheanalyn, use normal white sugar instead.
Domino Sugar has a product called “Superfine Sugar” which comes in a one pound box and is the same as castor sugar.
Hi Antonia it is very similar caster sugar is slightly finer but shouldn’t be noticeable. This useful article gives particle sizes for different sugars http://www.biscuitexpert.com/default.asp?siteid=&p=detay&id=37
And also thoug its not regarding this recipe, but just to keep my questions at the same site 🙂
– What is “cream of tatar?”
🙂
Hei Ann
First I will have to say I really enjoy watching your videoes, you are amazing at describing the details 🙂
– How long will you say that the dessert should defrost in the fridge before serving? 🙂
And also, what is the difference between baking soda and baking powder? 🙂
Best regards 🙂
Hi zandra, baking soda is just sodium bicarb, baking powder is sodium bicarb plus an acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar. Baking soda needs an acidic ingredient to create air bubbles to make things rise in baking so can be used in recipes where there is an acidic ingredient, otherwise use baking powder.
In the size of dessert shown I placed it in the fridge in the morning for serving in the evening.
hi Ann
i am Prratima and i am from India
the chocolate glacage recipe says it needs 250gms glucose,
my question is, isnt that a little too much? wont it make the glasage very sweet?
secondly, the glucose which you are using looks very watery, but what we get in the market in India is very thick. how do i use this thick variety?
pl guide me
thanks
Hi Prratima, the galcage is only used in a very thin layer on a dessert, yes it sweet like chocolate. This is the nutrition information on the glucose syrup we have here: Per 100g sugars=28g carbohydrate=78g energy 1330 Check the label of what you can get and if it is more concentrated it will have a higher amount of energy per 100g, then calculate accordingly. The thickness of it is also effected by the heat, it is fairly hot here in Australia, but I imagine it is hot there too.
thanks Ann
i will surely try the recipe
Hi!!
I am trying to make this for my husband’s birthday…very excited!!!
I have just finished with the creme brulee bit and I am ready to put it in the freezer, but I am not sure that I will be able to take it out of the bowl once it’s frozen. Did you have any trouble with that? Didn’t it stick? Ot should I freeze it unmolded?
Thank you so much! 🙂
Hi Chime, once it is fully frozen put the outside of the bowl in a sink filled with warm/hot water for about 10-20 seconds then tip out onto a tray, the surface will be slightly melted but will quickly set with the cold of the frozen brûlée.
Thank you so much!
🙂 I am so, so excited…
Hi dear,
Many of your recipes ask for cream. Can you explain what you mean by that? Is it heavy cream? or whipped cream?
Thanks!
P.S. Im excited to make this cake and macaroons for tonight!!! 🙂
Hi Shab, if you are in the US then yes heavy cream is the same thing as cream here in Australia