These sinfully rich chocolate pots make a wonderfully simple but elegant dessert for company or “just because.”
Trivia: Europeans have always had a great appreciation for fine quality chocolate but in America, the love affair is more recent. As North American preferences have changed, more and better quality chocolate is becoming available.
Any chocolate recipe is greatly improved by using top-quality chocolate. This particular recipe screams for it. If not available locally, I recommend the excellent offerings found at Chocolate.com – The World’s Largest Chocolate Marketplace.
Chocolate Pots Recipe
Contents
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups 35% cream
8 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp brewed dark roast coffee
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Tip: A chocolate chipper, like the Lee Pro Products Chocolate Chipper is a handy tool to have. This sturdy tool converts hard, thick baking-chocolate bars into chunks for cookies, candy, etc
Method for Preparing Chocolate Pots
Chop the chocolate coarsely, Use a chocolate chipper if you have one.
Heat the cream over medium-high heat until it just barely begins to bubble. Take it off the heat and add the chocolate. Wait a minute or so and then stir until the mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks.
Now, this is the tricky part. Very slowly, pour in the hot cream mixture, whisking all the while. You must work very slowly to avoid cooking the eggs.
Place this mixture back in the saucepan, whisking constantly until all is smooth. Stir in the coffee and butter.
Pour your chocolate mixture into 6 ramekins (like the Le Creuset Stoneware 4-Piece Heart Ramekin Set, Dark Chestnut with Assorted Pastel Colors and refrigerate until set. You can refrigerate these chocolate pots overnight is you want.
Enjoy this luscious little dessert.
Chocolate Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Pots De Creme
Chocolate Pots De Creme makes an elegant chocolate dessert recipe.
This site has a pots de creme museum. Don’t you just love these elegant little cups?
Tip: An elegant chocolate dessert recipe like this one warrants good chocolate as you find at ChocolateSource.
Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Pots de Creme
If you’re into making this authentic, check out this wonderful Pot de Creme Set – 4 Cups and Tray. Otherwise, use custard cups and hope for the best.
1/2 pound semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup 18% cream
5 medium-large eggs (yolks and whites separated)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp chopped candied ginger (optional)
1/3 cup chopped blanched almonds
pouring cream
Tip: Have trouble separating eggs? You can use an Egg Separator, but this is what I do: Tap the side of your egg against the bowl to crack it. Holding the cracked egg in your hand, tilt it so the larger end points downward. Remove the top half of the shell. Hold the bottom part of the shell over the top half, then carefully pour the white into one shell half while keeping the yolk in the other half. Awkward to explain, but it works like a charm.
Method
Using a good double boiler, melt the chocolate and hot water, mixing them together as soon as you can. Slowly add the cream, stirring. Beat the egg yolks until thick, then stir them into the chocolate mixture, cooking and stirring constantly until it thickens. Remove the top of double boiler from the bottom. Beat egg whites until they form soft peaks, then stir them into chocolate mixture. Return to double boiler and cook over boiling water, stirring, until mixture thickens again. Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and salt. Cool just enough to safely turn into 6 pots de creme pots or stemmed glasses or a cut glass serving bowl. Chill.
At serving time, sprinkle tops with chopped ginger and chopped almonds. Pass pouring cream.
This chocolate dessert recipe is not good for the waistline– but oh what a treat for special occasions!