Description
Delight in these elegant Frozen Chocolate Crêpes filled with rich chocolate mousse and served with warm crème anglaise. Perfectly light cocoa crepes are made from a simple batter, filled with a creamy, luscious chocolate mousse, and then frozen. Each crêpe is served with a velvety vanilla-infused custard sauce, creating a decadent dessert experience that’s both impressive and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Crêpe Batter
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Butter for cooking
Crème Anglaise
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 1½ cups half and half
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate Mousse Filling
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cup whipping cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Crêpe Batter: Using a blender (not a food processor), blend together the 2 eggs, ½ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla at low speed until just combined. Cover and let the batter rest for 1 hour.
- Cook the Crêpes: Lightly brush an 8-inch crêpe pan or sauté pan with butter. Heat over medium until the butter sizzles but does not brown. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into the pan, lift and swirl to evenly coat the bottom and sides, and pour off any excess. Cook for about 1 minute until the crepe’s bottom darkens and looks dry but not burnt. Transfer to waxed paper or paper towel. Repeat for remaining batter, brushing pan with butter as needed.
- Make the Crème Anglaise: In a small bowl, combine 4 egg yolks and ½ cup sugar. Scrape seeds from a split vanilla bean into the yolk mixture and beat until light and fluffy. In a saucepan, bring 1½ cups half and half with the reserved vanilla pod and 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract to a boil, then remove the pod. Slowly drizzle the hot half and half into the egg yolks while continuously whisking. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for about 20 minutes until thickened. Keep warm until serving.
- Prepare the Chocolate Mousse: In a blender or food processor, combine 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Blend for about 30 seconds. Heat 1½ cups whipping cream to boiling and gradually add to the chocolate mixture, blending continuously until the chocolate melts completely. Add 6 egg yolks and blend briefly for about 5 seconds. Transfer the mousse to a bowl and cool until thickened.
- Assemble the Crêpes: Once the crêpes have cooled, place a heaping tablespoon of chocolate mousse onto each crêpe and roll them up tightly. Place each rolled crêpe seam-side down onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid.
- Serve: To serve, pour a puddle of warm crème anglaise on each plate and top with one or two frozen crêpes. Garnish as desired with fresh berries or chocolate shavings. These filled crêpes can be wrapped and stored frozen for up to one month.
Notes
- Resting the batter allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to relax, resulting in tender crepes.
- Use a buttered non-stick pan for best crepe cooking results to prevent sticking and tearing.
- The mousse contains raw egg yolks, so ensure eggs are fresh and handled safely.
- Crepes can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated or frozen for convenience.
- When reheating frozen crepes, serve them still cold for texture contrast or warm slightly if preferred.
- Vanilla bean in the crème anglaise adds deep flavor but can be substituted with additional vanilla extract if unavailable.
