There is no Shabbat without Challah, and there is no winter without Krembo/Crembo, which is a sweet that takes me right back to my childhood. The name K/Crembo in Hebrew is a combination of two words, “crem” and “bo” meaning “cream-in-it.” Krembos in Israel are in stores only from the end of September until March-ish.
I am a summer girl; however, no winter memory holds more excitement for me than Krembos. It has a round biscuit base topped with delicious sticky whipped meringue, all of which is dipped in chocolate and then sold individually wrapped in foil. I loved flattening and collecting the wrappers, and by the end of winter, I always had a nice stack of them.
There are different ways to eat Krembo, and my favorite is to begin at the top of the little mound and work my way down to the biscuit. Unfortunately, Krembos do not travel well. Although my mom made several attempts to bring boxes of Krembos when she came to visit us in Seattle, the Krembos arrived flat as pita bread. That is why I make the Krembo cake, a spinoff of this very missed treat. What is great about the cake is that, unlike individual Krembos, it is shareable.
Looking for Israeli desserts? Try my Rosalach Cookies, Chocolate Biscuit Balls, and Nostalgic Israeli Birthday Cake.
Ingredients Overview
*The full recipe is in the recipe card below!
Dark chocolate: I definitely recommend using a high-quality chocolate bar. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate. The only rule is that you need to pick chocolate that you love to eat on its own.
Butter: Unsalted
Instant pudding: Only use instant pudding (like Jell-O). You do NOT need to prepare the pudding according to the package directions, follow the recipe instructions (you will only need the powder and the ingredients listed below).
Heavy cream: For the second layer- the colder the cream, the easier and more successful it will whip. Chill the cream, mixing bowl, and whisk attachment in the freezer for 15 minutes before using them.
Eggs: Large, at room temperature.
How to Store Krembo (Crembo) Cake
Refrigerator: Tightly wrap the cake in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. The cake will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Freezer: If you need to store the chocolate cake for an extended period of time, you can freeze it . Tightly wrap the cake in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. The cake will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
To thaw a frozen Krembo cake, place it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight until it is fully thawed.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Israeli Chocolate Swirl Cookies
Game-Changing Tahini Chocolate Cookies
Sufganiyot- Israeli Hanukkah Doughnuts
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Israeli Krembo (Crembo) Cake
Description
Ingredients
First layer- the base:
- 1 stick (110 grams) unsalted butter plus a little more for greasing
- 7 oz (200 grams) dark chocolate chopped or broken into pieces
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) all-purpose flour
Second layer- the cream:
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream very cold
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 8 Tablespoons (80g) instant vanilla pudding such as Jell-O
- 2 Tablespoons (20 grams) powdered sugar
Third layer- the chocolate ganache:
- 3.5 oz (100 grams) dark chocolate chopped or broken into pieces
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
The Base:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Line the pan with parchment paper and grease it with butter.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the chocolate over low heat, occasionally whisking until smooth and melted. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer the chocolate-butter mixture to a large bowl, add sugar and salt, and mix well.
- One at a time, add the eggs and vigorously whisk to incorporate after each one is added.
- Add flour and mix just until everything is combined.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan and flatten the mixture with a spatula. The mixture will be very thick, and that is OK.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The cake should be puffed and beginning to crack at the edges but still soft to the touch (a toothpick stuck in the center comes out with moist chocolate crumbs).
- Cool to room temperature.
The cream:
- Place the heavy cream, mixing bowl, and whisk (or beaters) from your kitchen mixer to chill in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour the cream and milk into the mixing bowl.
- Add vanilla pudding and powdered sugar.
- Start your mixer with a low speed to incorporate all ingredients.
- Continue whipping at medium to high speed until soft peaks start to form.
- Spread over the cake and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
The ganache:
- Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for even just a few seconds, it will spill out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, let it sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth and melted.
- Spread the ganache over the cream layer and place the cake back in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours to set. Another option is to freeze the cake and, when ready to enjoy, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
- Keep refrigerated up to seven days.
My kids loved it!
yay!
Great recipe
thank you
Great idea! Great cake
thank you
Great recipe
thank you
Can I use a rectangle pan?
Yes! just follow the same steps and grease the bottom
Great
Can I use chocolate pudding?
yes!
Can I make if GF?
yes use 3/4 cup (100 grams) corn flour
Great recipe