This easy-to-make Bavarian cream is light, airy and delicious and can be flavored with hazelnut liqueur or served with a fruity raspberry coulis. Both versions make a great dessert that you can easily prepare ahead of time.
Love light and airy mousse desserts? You might also enjoy this White Chocolate Mousse.
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About the recipe:
This recipe is adapted from an old cookbook titled The Centennial Collection of Favorite Recipes from Grace Episcopal Church in Paducah KY, Second Edition 1975. The recipe in the book is a Charlotte Russe (a Bavarian cream and ladyfinger cake) and what I did here is take the cream part only and flavor it in two different ways: with hazelnut liqueur and with an intensely fruity raspberry coulis. Both versions taste absolutely amazing and are easy to make.
Commonly asked questions:
Bavarian cream (also called creme bavaroise) is a light and airy mousse with an egg yolk and sugar base that is set with gelatin.
What makes this dessert light and airy is whipped cream (and in the version here also beaten egg whites) that are folded into the custard.
Because Bavarian cream is thickened with gelatin, no cooking is involved in making it (you do have to heat up the gelatin just a tad, but there is no need to cook the actual custard).
The great thing about Bavarian cream is that you can flavor it with almost anything you can think of and that you can take it into completely different directions, like I did here with the hazelnut and raspberry versions.
Bavarian cream has been around for hundreds of years and there are no definite accounts as to who invented it and exactly where and when but the dessert’s origins are most likely (and unsurprisingly) connected to Bavaria.
Boston cream is a cooked custard that is usually thickened with corn starch (or sometimes flour), as opposed to Bavarian cream, which is set with gelatin.
In its simplest form, Bavarian cream is a very light and airy vanilla-flavored custard. It can also be flavored with ingredients other than vanilla, such as liqueurs, fruits and fruit juices, nuts, chocolate and more.
Yes, there is no flour or other gluten-containing ingredient in Bavarian cream.
A custard is a mix (sweet or savory) of milk and/or cream and egg yolks that can be thickened in different ways. Bavarian cream is a gelatin-set custard.
Yes, Bavarian cream is not cooked and contains raw egg yolks as well as whipped raw egg whites.
No. Bavarian cream contains raw eggs and is therefore not safe to eat during pregnancy.
Ingredients:
How to make Bavarian cream:
Step 1. Start this recipe with 1 teaspoon powdered, unflavored gelatin. The gelatin needs to “bloom,” which means that it needs to soak in a liquid for a few minutes. The liquid I used here is simply 3 tablespoons cold water.
Step 2. Once the gelatin is sitting in water, you can get to work on the actual custard. Start by whisking 2 egg yolks with ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (and 2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur, if you’re making the hazelnut version) by hand. Once the mix is nice and creamy you can set it aside.
Step 3. Next, beat the 2 egg whites to stiff peaks, then set them aside.
Step 4. In a separate bowl, beat ½ cup heavy cream with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to stiff peaks. Set aside.
RECIPE TIP: Whip the egg whites first, then use the same beater(s) to whip up the cream. As long as you do the steps in this order, there is no need to clean the beater(s) in between.
Step 5. By now the gelatin is bloomed and you can heat it up just enough to dissolve it completely. Whisk the gelatin into the egg mix.
Steps 6. & 7. Add the whipped cream and whisk it in.
Steps 8. & 9.: Add the egg whites and quickly whisk them in as well. Fill the Bavarian cream into individual glasses or a serving bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
How to serve it:
For the hazelnut version, pipe or spoon a small dollop of whipped cream on and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
For the raspberry version, make the raspberry coulis (see step-by-step instructions below), drizzle it over the Bavarian cream and top with a dollop of whipped cream.
How to store it:
Store Bavarian cream in the refrigerator.
How long does it keep?
You can keep the Bavarian cream refrigerated for several hours but you should consume it on the same day that you make it.
How to use it:
In addition to making Bavarian cream a stand-alone dessert, you can use it as a filling for cream puffs, donuts and eclairs.
How to make the raspberry coulis:
Step 1. Add 2 cups frozen raspberries, ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice to a saucepan.
Step 2. Simmer the mix until the sugar is dissolved and the raspberries are breaking down (about 7 minutes).
Step 3. Strain through a sieve, let cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
Variations on this recipe:
You can flavor and serve this Bavarian cream in many more ways. For example, add vanilla extract to the cream and then serve it with cinnamon-sugared fresh cranberries for a great winter Holiday dessert. To put a fresh summer spin on it, flavor it with citrus and spice to make it a Lemon Ginger Mousse. For an elegant gourmet dessert, add almond and anise and serve it as an Almond Orange Mousse with Anise.
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Full Recipe
Bavarian Cream
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon powdered, unflavored gelatin
- 2 eggs, separated
- ⅓ cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream
For the hazelnut liqueur version:
- 2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur
- chopped pistachios as garnish, optional
- whipped cream as garnish, optional
For the raspberry coulis version:
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- whipped cream as garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add the gelatin along with 3 tablespoons of cold water to a pan. Let sit for 4 minutes.
- While the gelatin is blooming, whisk the egg yolks with ⅓ cup sugar, vanilla (and hazelnut liqueur, if using) until creamy.
- Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, set aside.*
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Heat the bloomed gelatin until just dissolved.
- Whisk the gelatin into the egg yolk mix.
- Whisk in the cream.
- Whisk in the egg whites.
- Quickly fill the mix into individual glasses or a serving bowl. (Try to work fast, the gelatin will set quickly).
- Chill the Bavarian cream in the fridge for 1 hour or longer.
For the hazelnut liqueur version:
- Garnish with a small dollop of whipped cream and chopped pistachios (optional).
For the raspberry coulis version:
- Add raspberries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and simmer until the sugar is dissolved and the raspberries are breaking down (about 7 minutes).
- Strain through a sieve.
- Let the coulis cool to room temperature, then cover and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Drizzle the coulis over the Bavarian cream right before serving. (The coulis will slowly “bleed” into the custard if it sits on it for long, so wait until you serve before drizzling it on).
- Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Treva B
I made this for my dessert challenge tonight and it was delicious!
Nicole Branan
That’s wonderful, I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving such a nice comment, it’s much appreciated. :)
Lj
Loved this easy recipe!
Nicole Branan
That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for coming back and giving a rating/feedback, I really appreciate that. :)
Kelly | Foodtasia
Nicole, this Bavarian cream looks so luscious! I definitely have to try it! Love all your step by step photos so I know what I’m supposed to be doing.
Nicole Branan
Thank you so much, Kelly! So happy to hear that you like the step by step photos, it’s something new I’ve been trying out and it’s great to hear that you think they’re helpful. :)
Nicky @ Kitchen Sanctuary
Oh my! they look amazing! I don’t have any hazelnut liqueur in, but I do have almond liqueur………
Nicole B.
Ooooh, I have a feeling almond liqueur will work great too!