Description
Rich chocolate pots de creme deliver French dessert elegance in a silky, luxurious custard. Delicate chocolate depths invite chocolate enthusiasts to savor each spoonful with pure indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 4 oz (113 g) dark chocolate (70% or higher), finely chopped
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp espresso powder (optional, enhances chocolate flavor)
- ¼ tsp salt
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings or cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preparation: Meticulously position ramekins within a spacious baking pan, ensuring even spacing and stability for uniform cooking.
- Chocolate Base Creation: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture transforms into a pale, creamy emulsion with a silky smooth consistency.
- Cream Infusion: Gently heat cream and milk in a saucepan, bringing to a delicate simmer without boiling, then carefully remove from heat source.
- Chocolate Integration: Fold finely chopped dark chocolate into the warm cream mixture, stirring continuously until a glossy, uniform texture develops.
- Custard Blending: Gradually incorporate the chocolate cream into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously to prevent curdling and maintain a seamless fusion.
- Refinement Process: Strain the entire mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate potential imperfections and ensure an ultra-smooth custard.
- Baking Preparation: Fill ramekins three-quarters full with the velvety chocolate custard, then create a water bath by pouring hot water halfway up the ramekin sides.
- Oven Transformation: Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, monitoring for a gentle central wobble that signals perfect custard consistency.
- Cooling and Chilling: Allow ramekins to cool in the water bath for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to achieve a decadent, mousse-like texture.
Notes
- Prevent Curdling Technique: Temper egg yolks slowly by adding hot cream in a thin, steady stream while continuously whisking to avoid scrambling and maintain a silky smooth texture.
- Chocolate Quality Matters: Select high-quality dark chocolate with at least 60-70% cocoa content for rich, intense flavor and smooth melting properties.
- Water Bath Precision: Ensure water reaches exactly halfway up ramekin sides during baking and use hot water to maintain consistent temperature, preventing cracking or uneven cooking.
- Chilling Perfection: Allow minimum 2-hour refrigeration time to develop deep flavor complexity and achieve ideal mousse-like consistency, which helps dessert set properly and enhances taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 200 mg