Chocolate Espresso Pots De Crème Recipes

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a blender. Whisk the milk, 1 cup cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula and almost boiling, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Immediately pour the milk mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Divide the chocolate mixture among ramekins or small cups and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
• Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the confectioners' sugar with a mixer or in the blender until soft peaks form. Top the chilled pots de creme with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.
• Put chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream, milk, espresso powder (to taste), and a pinch of salt just to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until espresso powder is dissolved, then pour over chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure and cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Line bottom of a baking pan (large enough to hold ramekins) with a folded kitchen towel and arrange ramekins on towel. Poke several holes in a large sheet of foil with a skewer. Divide custard among ramekins, then bake custards in a hot water bath , pan covered tightly with foil, until custards are set around edges but still slightly wobbly in centers, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer ramekins to a rack to cool completely, uncovered, about 1 hour. (Custards will set as they cool.) Chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
• *Available at some supermarkets, specialty foods shops, and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836).

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. In a heavy saucepan, bring the cream and the milk to a boil. Remove from heat; whisk in the chopped chocolate and the espresso powder and mix until smooth.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot chocolate into the yolk mixture to temper. Next, strain the mixture through a very fine sieve into a large capacity measuring cup or bowl (at least 4 cups. Straining removes any bits of possibly curdled or cooked egg so your custard is smooth and silky.)
• Divide the mixture among several 2 oz. espresso cups, ovenproof glass mini-cups, or, 4 oz. small ramekins. Set the filled cups in a roasting pan that has been positioned on the center rack of oven. Add hot tap water to the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover the pan with foil, then pierce a few holes in foil with a fork, so the steam can escape.
• Bake until the edges are lightly set (lifting foil to check), but the center is still giggly-it will set completely as it cools, about 30 to 35 minutes, depending on the size of the mini cups or ramekins.
• Transfer the cups to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with crème fraîche or whipped cream. Add a few chocolate shavings and serve.

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.
• Combine the cream, half-and-half, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium saucepan and put over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until it starts to approach a simmer, about 4 minutes-you'll know it's ready when small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat.
• Combine the egg yolks and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk until combined and smooth. Whisking the eggs constantly, slowly pour in about 1 cup of the milk mixture. Then pour the yolk mixture into the pan, whisking constantly until smooth.
• Put the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the mixture is thick and about the consistency of a pureed soup, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour the cream mixture over the chopped chocolate and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Then slowly and gently stir with a whisk-try not to incorporate any air. When smooth, add the vanilla extract and stir again to blend. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a large-lipped measuring cup.
• Divide evenly into eight 4-ounce cups or ramekins and refrigerate, uncovered. After 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours longer.
• To serve, let the ramekins come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) and then top with the whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
• The type of chocolate you use has a significant impact on the flavor and texture of this luscious dessert. With bittersweet chocolate (60 to 65 percent cacao), the pots will be intensely chocolaty and almost truffle-like; using semisweet chocolate (around 52 percent cacao) yields a sweeter, mellower, more pudding-like treat.

SLOW-COOKER CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Place cream, chocolate and espresso in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high until chocolate is melted and cream is hot, 4 minutes. Whisk to combine., In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar and salt until blended but not foamy. Slowly whisk in cream mixture; stir in extract. , Ladle egg mixture into eight 4-ounce jars. Center lids on jars and screw on bands until fingertip tight. Add hot water to a 7-qt. slow cooker; place jars in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low until set, about 4 hours. Remove jars from slow cooker; cool on counter for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. , If desired, top with whipped cream, grated chocolate and raspberries.

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream, the espresso, and vanilla to a simmer; pour over chocolate in a medium bowl. Let sit for 3 minutes; whisk until smooth.
• In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, sugar, and a pinch of coarse salt; add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Strain custard through a fine sieve into a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Place 2 teacups in the center of a baking dish. Divide custard between cups, and fill pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the teacups. Cover tightly with foil; poke several holes in foil. Bake until custard is set around edges but wobbly in center, about 25 minutes.
• Remove cups from water bath, and let custards cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days. Before serving, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons cream to soft peaks, and dollop over pots de creme.