This chocolate pot de crème recipe is ideal for learners! It’s so easy and creamy, due to my easy, fastidiously examined approach. Recipe features a how-to video!
A Perfected Pot De Crème Recipe
A basic French dessert, chocolate pot de creme has a wealthy, silky easy texture and opulent style. I like to consider it because the chocolatey, un-bruleed cousin to creme brulee.
In case you’ve ever needed to make pot de creme however felt too intimidated to, this recipe is for you! I’ll stroll you thru every step of the way in which and supply loads of ideas and tips so you can also make this spectacular dessert with ease.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fancy, but approachable. In case you love desserts that look spectacular, however are literally fairly easy to make (like profiteroles or cheesecake bars!) you’ll get pleasure from this recipe, too.
- Unimaginable creamy texture. Whereas I keep away from utilizing water baths the place potential, a water tub (bain-marie) proved to be important to preserving the creamy texture right here.
- Nice for making upfront! Make it the day earlier than, then add any toppings and serve the subsequent day.
- Easy, by no means grainy outcomes, due to my examined approach. I speak a bit extra about this beneath.
Many recipes could have you finely chop your chocolate and pour steaming cream overtop to soften it. This technique works fantastic… generally, however sadly it may additionally depart you with tiny, unmelted grains of chocolate. These find yourself making an look within the ultimate product, which ruins the silky easy texture we’re aiming for.
I discovered a piece round by first melting the chocolate by itself, then step by step including the steaming cream combination to it. It’s easy, efficient, and leads to the right texture.
Substances
This pot de creme recipe retains the elements to a minimal with simply seven required.
- Chocolate. The standard of your chocolate is so necessary right here – don’t use chocolate chips! Prime quality baking chocolate is greatest. I like to recommend 60% cacao, however you should utilize semisweet if that’s all you’ll find (your chocolate pot de creme will simply be sweeter!).
- Cream and milk. I like to make use of a mixture of milk and heavy cream for an ideal texture; I discovered that utilizing all cream made the ensuing custard a bit too thick for my liking.
- Eggs. Ideally these can be at room temperature, however if you happen to neglect, use my trick for bringing eggs to room temperature rapidly. In case you don’t need to waste your egg whites, save them to make my angel meals cupcakes or lemon cake!
- Toppings. Contemporary berries, mint sprigs, edible flowers, a dusting of cocoa or powdered sugar, or whipped cream and chocolate shavings – all are nice toppings for this chocolate pot de creme recipe.
SAM’S TIP: For an excellent darker/extra bitter taste, add a pinch of espresso powder once you pour the cream and milk over the chocolate.
Bear in mind, that is simply an outline of the elements I used and why. For the total recipe please scroll all the way down to the underside of the publish!
Make Chocolate Pot De Crème
- Soften the chocolate within the microwave till easy, then put aside.
- Warmth the heavy cream, milk, and salt till steaming, then step by step pour this combination into the chocolate.
- Whisk till easy. This may look a bit separated at first, however so long as you add the cream step by step, it can come collectively!
- Whisk the eggs and sugar collectively in a separate bowl. Don’t be too aggressive (we don’t need to whip lots of air into the combination); simply be sure that they’re mixed.
- Slowly drizzle the chocolate combination into the eggs, whisking continuously till mixed.
- Pour the custard by a fantastic mesh strainer. This step is necessary for catching any bits of cooked egg or unmelted chocolate; it preserves the graceful texture and helps stop air bubbles that may’ve shaped whereas whisking.
- Place your ramekins in a roasting pan, then add the custard. I like to make use of a liquid measuring cup or ladle for this.
- Add water to your roasting pan and ensure the ramekins should not touching one another so the water can flow into round them whereas they bake.
- Bake till the sides are simply set and the middle remains to be jiggly (however not liquidy). You can too use an instantaneous learn thermometer and search for a temp of 165F. Don’t over-bake; this makes chocolate pot de creme gritty or grainy!
- Let the ramekins sit within the water tub a bit earlier than (fastidiously!) eradicating to a cooling rack. Let sit at room temperature, then cowl and chill.
- When able to serve, pull the ramekins out of the fridge and let sit for a couple of minutes to melt (this helps with the feel, too). Add your required toppings, then get pleasure from!
SAM’S TIP: Since it is a wealthy dessert, be happy to make use of smaller ramekins (I exploit 8oz). Simply observe that your baking time will possible be decreased. You may additionally use glass jars or espresso cups.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Assuming you adopted the steps within the recipe to keep away from graininess (melting the chocolate individually first, straining the custard, letting the ramekins sit at room temperature earlier than serving), then the custard was sadly most definitely over-baked. I present ideas above and within the recipe for understanding when your chocolate pot de creme ought to be faraway from the oven.
A darker colour usually develops on the floor of the custard whereas it bakes within the oven. That is fairly typical, particularly if you happen to prepare dinner the custard to 160F as I do (to verify the eggs are cooked sufficient) and doesn’t trouble me sufficient to undergo any effort to stop it. In case you’re not a fan, strive baking for longer on a decrease temperature or masking the ramekins with foil whereas baking.
Not fairly. Chocolate pot de creme is a set custard that’s denser and extra velvety than chocolate pudding. Chocolate mousse is one other decadent chocolate dessert, however it’s gentle and ethereal, virtually like whipped cream.
Get pleasure from!
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Chocolate Pot De Crème
Servings: 6 servings
Energy: 709kcal
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Directions
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Preheat oven to 325F (160C).
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Place finely chopped chocolate in a big heatproof bowl and microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, till utterly melted and easy. Put aside.
8 oz (226 g) 60% chocolate
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In a medium saucepan, mix heavy cream, entire milk, and salt. Warmth over medium-low warmth till steaming.
2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream, ⅔ cup (160 ml) entire milk, ¼ teaspoon salt
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Take away from warmth and, very slowly, whereas whisking, step by step pour into the melted chocolate, whisking till easy.
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In the meantime, in a separate dish, mix eggs and sugar and whisk gently till effectively mixed (strive to not incorporate an excessive amount of air or whisk too vigorously, as this might make your pot de crème rise and fall within the oven).
6 giant egg yolks, ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
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Whereas whisking the eggs, slowly drizzle the chocolate combination into the egg combination till mixed.
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Stir in vanilla extract.
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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Pour by a fantastic mesh strainer right into a bowl or giant measuring cup, then pour evenly into ramekins (every ramekin will want rather less than ⅔ cup of the combination).
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Place ramekins in roasting pan then fastidiously pour water across the ramekins, filling ⅔ up the perimeters.
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Switch roasting pan to middle rack of oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, till combination is simply set on the sides. It ought to be a bit jiggly within the middle if jostled however mustn’t slosh within the ramekin like liquid. (if utilizing a thermometer, an instantaneous learn thermometer inserted within the middle of the custard ought to learn 160F/73C)
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Fastidiously take away roasting pan from the oven and permit ramekins to chill within the water for about quarter-hour.
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As soon as barely cooled, use tongs or a towel to fastidiously take away from the water and permit to chill utterly on a cooling rack at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
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Cowl every ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate at the very least 2-3 hours, till utterly chilled.
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To serve: Take away from fridge and permit to take a seat at room temperature for about quarter-hour to melt barely (if served straight from the fridge, you might discover a mildly grainy texture). Whereas they soften, put together whipped cream, if utilizing.
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Whipped Cream: Mix heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electrical mixer to beat on excessive pace till thick and fluffy. Dollop evenly over pot de crème earlier than serving. If desired, garnish with chocolate shavings or recent fruit earlier than serving.
¾ cup (177 ml) heavy cream, ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Chocolate
Semisweet chocolate may very well be used however will yield a sweeter finish consequence. I like to stay to chocolate between 60-70% cacao for greatest , most balanced style. Use high quality baking chocolate bars – chocolate chips should not best.
Storing
Retailer ramekins tightly lined within the fridge for as much as 5 days. To freeze, as soon as they’ve cooled utterly wrap tightly with plastic wrap after which aluminum foil and place in an hermetic container. Freeze for as much as 1 month. To serve, thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than serving.
Diet
Serving: 1serving | Energy: 709kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 9g | Fats: 61g | Saturated Fats: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 17g | Ldl cholesterol: 321mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1907IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg
Dietary info relies on third-party calculations and ought to be thought of an estimate solely. Precise dietary content material will fluctuate based mostly upon manufacturers used, measuring strategies, cooking technique, portion sizes, and extra.
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