Crème de foie gras
This is a rather tricky recipe in which foie gras is used to make a savoury cream, similar to a crème brulée but - of course - without sugar and without caramelizing the top. Instead, it is topped with an espuma (a light hot foam) of potatoes, garnished with crispy morsels of serrano ham.
154 K 4.1/5 (20 reviews)
1 hour 35 min.
Average
12 people
15 IngredientsLast modified on: December 17th 2023
For 12 people, you will need:
- 1
375 ml raw foie gras - 2
750 ml liquid cream - 3
6 egg yolks - 4
30 ml Brandy (Cognac or Armagnac) - 5
30 ml Port - 6
4.5 ml salt - 7
1.5 ml pepper - 8
3 pinches "Quatre-épices" spice blend - 9
390 ml potatoes - 10 210 ml liquid cream
- 11
210 ml milk - 12
61.92 ml butter - 13
9 slices smoked ham - 14 salt
- 15 pepper
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 35 min.
Cooking: 1 hour
All in all: 1 hour 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 5 min.
Pour 750 ml liquid cream, 30 ml Brandy (Cognac or Armagnac) and 30 ml Port into a pan on low heat. Add 4.5 ml salt, 1.5 ml pepper, 3 pinches "Quatre-épices" spice blend and 375 ml raw foie gras cut into pieces.
Heat gently until the foie gras has completely melted.
Heat gently until the foie gras has completely melted.
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Blend the mixture thoroughly and check seasoning.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
Strain the resulting liquid through a sieve. Clean the pan and pour the liquid back into it.
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Add 6 egg yolks and beat thoroughly to mix well.
Stage 5 - 3 min.
Blend again briefly if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 110°C (240°F).
Preheat the oven to 110°C (240°F).
Stage 6 - 30 min.
Divide the mixture between the ramekins and put in the oven in a bain-marie (as for a crème brulée).
As soon as the creams are cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
The preparation and cooking to this stage can be done in advance, even 1 or 2 days beforehand.
As soon as the creams are cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
The preparation and cooking to this stage can be done in advance, even 1 or 2 days beforehand.
Stage 7 - 15 min.
Peel and rinse the potatoes, then cut into thick slices.
Boil in salted water until soft.
You will need 390 ml potatoes after cooking.
Boil in salted water until soft.
You will need 390 ml potatoes after cooking.
Stage 8 - 5 min.
Pour 210 ml liquid cream into a pan on low heat with 210 ml milk, 61.92 ml butter and the cooked potatoes.
Bring to the boil, then blend thoroughly.
Check seasoning.
Bring to the boil, then blend thoroughly.
Check seasoning.
Stage 9 - 10 min.
Pass the potato cream mixture through a sieve or fine strainer, then pour into a cream whipper.
Pierce 2 gas cartridges and shake well.
Note: if you have a basic cream whipper (i.e. not insulated), wrap it in a tea towel, or you risk burning yourself as the contents will be very hot.
Pierce 2 gas cartridges and shake well.
Note: if you have a basic cream whipper (i.e. not insulated), wrap it in a tea towel, or you risk burning yourself as the contents will be very hot.
Stage 10 - 5 min.
Make the crispy ham by frying morsels of serrano in a very hot frying pan without any added fat. fry on both sides until crisp.
Stage 11 - 5 min.
Assemble the creams: to each ramekin (they should be really cold), add a layer of hot espuma of potato and stick 2 pieces of ham into the top.
Serve immediately.
Serve immediately.
Remarks
You can use either cooked or raw foie gras: if you use raw, it is even better if you can season it the day before, as for the terrine of foie gras .
If you do not have a cream whipper, you can replace the espuma with a little creamy potato purée.
The creams can be served in verrines rather than ramekins for a "posh restaurant" touch.
If you do not have a cream whipper, you can replace the espuma with a little creamy potato purée.
The creams can be served in verrines rather than ramekins for a "posh restaurant" touch.
Keeping: Creams with espumas do not keep.
Source: After Jean-Chrisophe Despinasse.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 150 RDI=60 % | 130 RDI=10 % | 640 RDI=100 % | 7,000 RDI=350 % | 29,300 RDI: 350 % |
| Per 100 g | 6 RDI=2 % | 5 RDI=1 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 290 RDI=10 % | 1,200 RDI: 10 % |
| Per person | 10 RDI=5 % | 10 RDI=1 % | 50 RDI=8 % | 580 RDI=30 % | 2,440 RDI: 30 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 12 people : 23.30 €
- Per person : 1.95 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Liquid cream
Like these other recipes: Crusty cockle tart, Smoky potato and potimarron gratin, Pork escalope with mushrooms and sage cream, Gratin with Parmesan flavours, Framboisier, ... See them all 169
Potatoes
Like these other recipes: Pork Chops Champvallon style, Morteau sausage , Gratin with Parmesan flavours, Creamy "terre et mer" pots, How to cook potato grenaille , ... See them all 83
Raw foie gras
Like these other recipes: Home-made terrine of foie gras, Foie gras cured in salt, Foie gras ballotine, Terrine of foie gras, Small foie gras pasties, ... See them all 5
Milk
Like these other recipes: Choux pastry (pâte à choux), Bechamel sauce, Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream), Buckwheat pancakes, Clafoutis batter, ... See them all 61
Other recipes you may also like
Crème brulée
Crème brûlée (burned cream) is quite easy to prepare: it's a simple egg-cream dessert. The only difficulty is in making the delicious crunchy caramel layer on top. The perfect crème brulée (for me) is a cold and soft cream, with on top a nice hot caramel crust. This is a completely new version of the former recipe, with video. December 31th 20111.68 M 74.3 4 hours 40 min.
Fresh mint ice-cream
This well-flavoured ice-cream is excellent on its own, or in profiteroles with a chocolate sauce for example. February 21th 2011542 K4.6 1 hour 35 min.
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad. July 7th 20111.06 M4.5 7 min.
Röstis
Probably a swiss recipe originally, but also known in the French region of Franche-comté. This version is more sophisticated. February 21th 2011275 K4.2 40 min.
Parcels of fish fillet in spinach
These parcels are made with small pieces of fish fillet, wrapped in a blanched spinach leaf and lightly fried in butter. They can be served with a salted white wine sabayon (as in the recipe of scallops with crunchy vegetables), a beurre blanc, a dash of olive oil with... March 18th 2013249 K4.8 2 hours 25 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.