Recipe: Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème
Luxurious chocolate pudding made with a mix of milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks, baked in a water bath in the oven.
Serves4
Looking for the most luxurious chocolate pudding you’ve ever had? This is for you, the most serious of chocolate-lovers. Dive in and you’ll be rewarded with creamy, dark chocolatey richness in every bite.
There’s not much more to say about this dessert beyond that it’s knock-your-socks-off material. It’s the type of thing that’s sure to wow dinner party guests at the end of a festive meal, yet it’s also straightforward enough to make when you’re looking for a midweek treat.
All this is good news because chocolate pot de crème is exactly the solution when you find yourself with a serious chocolate craving that you just can’t scratch — which always seems to happen on a Wednesday, doesn’t it?
A Rich & Creamy Chocolate Dessert for Chocolate-Lovers
Chocolate pot de crème is the richer, more luscious French version of American chocolate pudding. While pudding is typically a mix of milk and cream that’s sweetened and thickened with cornstarch over the stove, pot de crème is also a mix of milk, cream, and sugar, but egg yolks are added to make it a custard, which is then thickened by baking in a water bath in the oven.
This version features the darkest of dark chocolate. Just don’t forget to finish the pots de crème with whipped cream or tangy crème fraîche — when you’re having in something this decadent, it’s the ideal contrast.
Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème
Luxurious chocolate pudding made with a mix of milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks, baked in a water bath in the oven.
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups
heavy cream
- 1/2 cup
whole milk
- 5 ounces
good-quality bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), finely chopped
- 4
large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup
granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon
kosher salt
Hot water
Whipped cream or crème fraîche, for serving
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 300°F. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup or medium bowl; set aside. Place 4 (6-ounce) ramekins in a roasting pan or 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.
Heat the cream and milk in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted and smooth.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a large, heatproof bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly whisk in the chocolate mixture.
Pour the mixture through the strainer. Divide the strained mixture among the ramekins.
Transfer the pan to the oven and pour enough hot water in the pan or baking dish, being careful not to splash any water into the ramekins, until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the edges are set and the center still slightly jiggles, about 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and uncover. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Serve each with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche.
Recipe Notes
Cooking for 2: To make 2 servings, just halve the recipe and use 2 ramekins.
Storage: Once cooled, the pots de crème can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. If refrigerated, let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.