Chocolate Bavarian Cream

Step 1

Bloom the gelatin: Pour the cold milk (20 g/0.7 oz.) into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Mix it briefly using a fork then set aside.

Step 2

Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate pieces in a large bowl (microwavable). Heat in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring in-between, until completely melted. You can melt the chocolate in a double-boiler if you don't want to use a microwave.

Step 3

Prepare the crème anglaise: Pour the milk, heavy cream and part of the sugar (about 1/into a small pot. Heat over medium heat until simmering.

Step 4

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar in a bowl for about 2 minutes, until slightly lighter in color. Start whisking as soon as you add the sugar to the egg yolks to avoid getting a lumpy mixture.

Step 5

Gradually pour the hot liquids (milk/cream) into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add the liquids very slowly to raise the temperature of the eggs without scrambling them.

Step 6

Return the mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (or heatproof spatula) until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. It's done when: The cream coats the spatula/spoon and if you run a clean finger through the spatula, the trace remains. Tip: Reduce the heat to medium-low if you notice the mixture sticking to the pot at any point.

Step 7

Off the heat, add the bloomed gelatin and stir to dissolve. Tip: If the crème Anglaise isn't completely smooth, place a fine-mesh sieve over the chocolate bowl before moving on to the next step.

Step 8

Pour the crème Anglaise over the melted chocolate in 3-4 additions, stirring from the middle and moving outwards in circles, until fully combined and smooth. Optional: Mix with an immersion blender to ensure the chocolate mixture is completely smooth.

Step 9

Set aside to cool down at room temperature, stirring occasionally with a spoon. The chocolate mixture should cool down to about 24°C to 29°C (75°F to 85°F) before adding the whipped cream. If it's too hot, it will deflate the whipped cream. It took about 20 minutes in a 20°C/68°F kitchen.

Step 10

Whip the heavy cream: In the meantime, pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl and whip on medium-low speed until soft-medium peaks form. The whipped cream shouldn’t be too firm or you'll have trouble incorporating it into the cream. Tip: Return the whipped cream to the fridge if the chocolate isn't at the right temperature yet.

Step 11

Add a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream to the chocolate mixture (to lighten it) and mix until combined. There's no need to be gentle when mixing at this point.

Step 12

Add the remaining whipped cream in 3 additions, carefully folding it in with a spatula to avoid deflating the cream. Mix just until you no longer see streaks of white. If you mix for too long, the air will escape and the cream will be quite dense.

Step 13

Pour into desired cups and cover tightly (without touching the surface). Chill for at least 4 hours or until completely set. Enjoy!