Extra Bittersweet Chocolate Pots De Crème Recipes

EXTRA-BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a heavy saucepan, bring cream and milk to a boil. Remove from heat; whisk in chopped chocolate until smooth.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot chocolate into yolks. Strain through a very fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl.
• Divide mixture among 2- to 4-ounce espresso cups or small ramekins. Set filled cups in a large roasting pan that has been positioned on center rack of oven. Add hot tap water to pan, halfway up sides of cups. Cover pan with foil; use a fork to prick holes in foil.
• Bake until edges are lightly set (lifting foil to check) but center is still jiggly - it will set as it cools - 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer cups to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving with crème fraîche or whipped cream.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Heat the half-and-half and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the eggs. Return the milk mixture to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and whisk until it thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips, sugar, and a pinch of salt; whisk until melted. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Divide the mixture between two 6-oz. ramekins or serving glasses. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.

EXTRA-BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Step 1 Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a heavy saucepan, bring cream and milk to a boil. Remove from heat, and whisk in chopped chocolate until smooth.
• Step 2 In a large bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar, and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot chocolate into yolks. Strain through a very fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl.
• Step 3 Divide mixture among 5 small ramekins. Set filled cups in a large roasting pan that has been positioned on the center rack of the oven. Add hot tap water to the pan, halfway up sides of cups. Cover the pan with foil, use a fork to prick holes in foil.
• Step 4 Bake until edges are lightly set (lifting the foil to check) but center is still jiggly-it will set as it cools-30 to 35 minutes. Transfer cups to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving with creme fraiche or whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE-CARDAMOM POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Combine the heavy cream and cardamom in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high until just boiling. Turn the heat off, cover and steep until infused, 2 hours.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 300 degrees. Arrange 6 to 8 (4- to 6-ounce) oven-safe ramekins in a roasting pan or large baking dish at least 2 inches deep.
• Strain the infused cream through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the cardamom pods. Wipe out the saucepan. Add 1 cup/240 milliliters of the infused cream to the saucepan along with the whole milk. Chill remaining infused cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Bring the cream and milk mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.
• In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk by hand or using an electric mixer until pale yellow, foamy and thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Whisking constantly, slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until well combined. Transfer the custard to a measuring cup or other container with a spout. You should have about 4 cups of custard.
• Divide the custard among the ramekins and carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Tent the pan with a piece of aluminum foil and use a fork or paring knife to poke a few holes in the foil.
• Bake the pots de crème until the tops are set but still jiggly, 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the ramekins. The custard will puff up slightly as it bakes, then deflate as it cools. Remove the foil, and let the pots cool in the pan for a few minutes, until they are easier to handle, then transfer them to a rack to cool to room temperature.
• Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until completely cool, at least 2 hours. (These can be made up to 2 days in advance.) Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap if you plan to keep them in the refrigerator for more than a couple of hours after they have cooled. To serve, whisk reserved infused cream to soft peaks (it will be loose) with 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar and top each pot de crème with a dollop of cream.

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.