Chocolate Pots de Crème

Pots de crème are French puddings made with cream, sugar, egg yolk and flavorings. A gentle water bath in the oven gives them a dense, silky, pudding-like texture.

Pots de crème come in a variety of flavors, from classic vanilla to salted caramel to chocolate. Traditionally, they are eaten chilled, making them the ideal dessert to prepare ahead of time. I like to serve them on special occasions, dates, and holidays—especially Valentine’s Day.

Let the chocolate shine with bittersweet chocolate bars

I prefer to use dark chocolate bars to really bring out the chocolate flavor. If you want to make these for a special occasion I recommend buying quality chocolate from Valrhona, Callebaut or Guittard. You can also use chocolate chips, although sometimes they’ve added ingredients that can interfere with the pudding’s ability to set properly. However, upon testing, I found that Guittard’s chocolate chips worked successfully.

Helpful tips for preparing Pot de for Crème

Keep these tips in mind when preparing the dessert to ensure a delicious result.

• Melt the chocolate completely: Many recipes involve whipping the chocolate into the hot cream, but I’ve found that sometimes the chocolate doesn’t melt completely. I would see pieces of separated chocolate here and there, almost like sediment. If the chocolate isn’t incorporated properly, it won’t set properly in the oven. Instead, add 1/2 cup of the hot liquid to a bowl with the chocolate, then whisk until homogeneous (less liquid allows for better mixing). Then pour the whipped chocolate into the rest of the cream base.
• Temper the eggs to prevent curdling: If you drop the yolks directly into the hot cream, it will curdle immediately. Instead, you should temper the eggs (bring them up to temperature) by adding 1/2 cup of the hot liquid to the egg mixture and beating constantly until combined. Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate base and continue beating until homogeneous.
• Strain the vanilla sauce: Be sure to strain the custard to prevent small bits of curdled egg from getting into the crème pots.

For the silkiest, smoothest texture, the pots de crème should be cooked in a double boiler (aka bain-marie). Water baths help cook puddings evenly and prevent curdling. Cheesecake and crème brûlée are two other types of desserts that use this technique. Both desserts have an equally silky, creamy texture.

How to use a double boiler for chocolate pots de crème:

1. Place your ramekins in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. To prevent your ramekins from moving, you can optionally place a kitchen towel on the bottom of the pan and then place the ramekins on top.
2. Fill molds with pudding.
3. Carefully pour hot water into the sides of the baking pan. You aim to add enough water to cover 2/3 the height of the ramekins. Use a measuring cup with a spout or a kettle to reduce spills.
4. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil, then prick the foil with a fork to allow steam to escape.

Flavoring with extracts or liqueurs

These chocolate pots de crème use vanilla extract, but you can flavor them with any type of extract or liqueur you like. Simply replace the vanilla with the same amount of another extract, such as almond or coffee extract.

For Orange Flavored Pots de Crème:

1. Add 1 teaspoon of fresh orange zest to the milk and cream before heating the liquid.
2. After adding the chocolate to the warm milk, cover the saucepan with a lid and let it steep for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and heat the pot on low for a minute or two, until the liquid is hot again.
4. Turn off the heat and temper the eggs.
5. Replace the vanilla extract with orange extract (or orange liqueur). Otherwise, continue with the rest of the recipe as directed.
6. If desired, you can garnish the chilled pots de crème with some orange zest or candied orange.

Chocolate pots de crème pairings

• Goes well with macerated fruits: Tart macerated fruit balances the slightly bitter, decadent chocolate taste well.
• Serve with red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir pair well with this dessert.
• Enjoy with cookies: Dip crunchy cookies like biscotti in the creamy custard.

Dreamier and more intense chocolate desserts

• Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
• Classic chocolate mousse
• Chocolate ganache cake
• Bittersweet chocolate cake
• Champagne Chocolate Truffle