Chocolate Pot De Créme

Last week I finished my Basic cooking course and in that final post I said that I was going to be taking a bit of a break from doing a series, but then I had an idea. I thought it would be fun to do something I really haven't touched on here on the blog; desserts. For the next ten weeks I will be dedicating every Wednesday's post to Simple Summer Desserts.

I will be covering a variety of desserts in this series. Some will be new twists on old favourites some may be ones you've never seen, and some may be desserts that you have always wanted to try (or wanted to make) but you just never got around to it. I hope that you are looking forward to this as much as I am.

Today, we are going to look at how to make Chocolate Pot De Creme. If you love rich, chocolatey desserts, this one is for you -- and it is one of the easiest you will ever make. It pairs beautifully with other simple treats like fruit crumbles or strawberry shortcake for a full summer dessert spread.

What is pot de creme?

A pot de creme is a French custard dessert. Generally, pot de creme is made in the same way as other custards, starting with beaten eggs to which hot cream and flavourings are added. This mixture is then baked in a water bath until the eggs set.

The version that we are going to look at today is not a true pot de creme. Our version is made as a loose ganache. Meaning hot, flavoured cream is poured over chocolate which is then cooled to set. The key to this is the ratio of chocolate to cream -- the more cream, the looser the ganache will be. For a more traditional pot de creme recipe check out this one from Epicurious.

The reason our pot de creme is made differently than traditional versions is for simplicity. The recipe we are going to look at today takes about ten minutes to make, plus time to cool. The traditional version takes much longer. Also, when making traditional custard there is always the chance that the custard may split if the heat is too high or something isn't mixed well enough. That will not happen with our ganache version.

Making the pot de creme

The first step in this recipe is to combine some cream with sugar, instant espresso powder, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. While the cream is heating, break up some semi-sweet chocolate and put it in a heatproof bowl. Once the cream comes to a boil, pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for about three minutes, then whisk until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. The final step is to pour the chocolate mixture into some dishes and let it cool in the fridge.

Instant espresso powder can be found in the coffee section of the grocery store. It is fantastic for things like this or flavouring butter cream. It is a great baking ingredient to have around. If you enjoy working with chocolate, you might also love making panna cotta -- another simple no-bake dessert that relies on getting the ratio of ingredients just right.

Tips and serving suggestions

There is not much to this recipe. However, top it with a little whipped cream and a chocolate covered coffee bean and you have something truly decadent. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use good quality semi-sweet chocolate -- it is the star of the dish, so the better the chocolate, the better the result.
• Let the cream sit on the chocolate for the full three minutes before whisking. This ensures the chocolate melts evenly.
• The pot de creme needs at least three hours in the fridge to set properly, but overnight is even better.
• This also makes a great frozen dessert -- just pop the ramekins in the freezer instead of the fridge.

A couple of these dark chocolate espresso cookies on the side work for the same reason the espresso works in the custard.

Final thoughts

This is one of those desserts I come back to again and again because it takes almost no effort yet impresses every single time. If you have ten minutes and some good chocolate, I really think you should give it a try.

When you want a bigger chocolate project for a crowd, my chocolate mousse cake is the next step up.

Recipe