Vanilla Caramel Entremets – Individual Cakes with Caramel Crémeux, Peanut Crunch, and Glossy Glaze
Elegant vanilla caramel entremets with soft sponge, silky caramel crémeux, peanut crunch layer, light vanilla mousse, and a glossy caramel glaze.After many requests, I’m finally sharing this indulgent recipe: individual vanilla caramel entremets that perfectly combine creaminess, sweetness, and crunch. Each portion features a luscious caramel crémeux, light vanilla mousse, moist sponge cake, and a crunchy peanut caramel layer. The final touch? A glossy caramel glaze that gives a beautiful finish and a rich taste. These mini entremets are ideal for special occasions or when you want to elevate dessert time with something refined, balanced, and packed with texture and flavor.
Servings 12 people
Ingredients
🍮 Caramel Crémeux
- 1 g gelatin powder 200 bloom + 6 g cold water
- 50 g sugar
- 90 g milk
- 15 g egg yolk
- 8 g cornstarch
- Pinch of fleur de sel
- 55 g butter
🍰 Soft Sponge Cake
- 1 egg
- 90 g sugar
- 55 g neutral oil
- 60 ml cream 30%
- 30 ml milk
- 110 g flour
- Pinch of baking powder
🥜 Peanut Crunch Layer
- 100 g caramel soft or melted
- 70 g chopped peanuts
- 35 g crushed crêpes dentelles or feuilletine
- 15 g white chocolate
🌼 Vanilla Mousse
- 2 g gelatin powder 200 bloom + 12 g cold water
- 125 ml whole milk
- 2 vanilla beans split and scraped
- 50 g egg yolks
- 30 g sugar
- 140 g heavy cream 30% fat
✨ Caramel Glaze
- 150 g caramel sugar powder see method below
- 50 g extra sugar
- 75 g water
- 160 g glucose syrup
- 10 g gelatin powder 200 bloom + 60 g cold water
- 150 g sweetened condensed milk
- 160 g Zéphyr white chocolate 34%
- Yellow and orange food coloring
Instructions
📅 Day -2 – Caramel Crémeux
- Heat milk in a saucepan.
- In another pan, caramelize sugar until light golden.
- Carefully pour hot milk into the caramel, whisking constantly.
- Mix egg yolk and cornstarch in a bowl, then temper with the caramel mixture.
- Return to heat and cook until thickened.
- Remove from heat, add bloomed gelatin and whisk.
- Let cool to 35–40°C, then blend in the butter using a hand blender.
- Pour into silicone half-sphere or truffle molds and freeze overnight.
📅 Day -1 – Sponge, Crunch, Mousse
Soft Sponge Cake:
- Preheat oven to 165°C.
- Beat eggs and sugar on high for 4–5 min until pale and foamy.
- Add cream, milk, and oil. Mix.
- Fold in sifted flour and baking powder.
- Spread the batter on a lined sheet pan and bake for ~15 minutes.
- Let cool completely.
Peanut Crunch Layer:
- Melt white chocolate.
- In a bowl, mix crushed crêpes dentelles, chopped peanuts, and caramel.
- Add melted chocolate and mix well.
- Spread a thin layer over the sponge.
- Cut discs using a round cutter and freeze.
Vanilla Mousse:
- Rehydrate gelatin in cold water.
- Whisk yolks and sugar until light.
- Bring milk and vanilla to a boil.
- Temper egg mixture with hot milk and return to pot.
- Cook gently to 82°C.
- Remove from heat, add gelatin, and mix well.
- Cool to ~35°C.
- Whip cream to soft peaks and fold gently into custard.
Assembly:
- Fill silicone molds halfway with vanilla mousse.
- Place frozen caramel crémeux insert and press gently.
- Add more mousse to cover.
- Top with sponge + peanut crunch discs and press lightly.
- Smooth surface and freeze for at least 12 hours.
📅 Day 0 – Caramel Glaze & Finishing
Caramel Sugar Powder:
- Caramelize 200 g sugar, pour onto silicone mat, and let cool.
- Break into pieces and blend into a fine powder.
Caramel Glaze:
- Place white chocolate, condensed milk, food coloring, and bloomed gelatin in a tall container.
- In a saucepan, combine caramel sugar powder, 50 g sugar, water, and glucose.
- Heat to 103°C, then pour over chocolate mix.
- Blend with immersion blender until smooth (avoid bubbles).
- Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate overnight.
Final Glazing:
- Reheat glaze to ~29–38°C until pourable.
- Unmold frozen entremets and place on a rack.
- Pour glaze smoothly over each entremet.
- Remove excess glaze with a spatula.
- Let set in the fridge for 3–4 hours before serving.
