If you haven’t yet come across chocolate pots, or pots de crème, you have a real treat in store.
I like mine chilled and firm, a sort of dense chocolate mousse.
Alternatively, when enjoyed warm, chocolate pots are like silky chocolate custard or very thick chocolate sauce.
Chocolate pots are the perfect way to use up cream and egg yolks (for example, if you’ve been on a marshmallow-making mission).
Finally, as if you need another reason, they are a winning dinner party dessert and are much less temperamental than classic chocolate mousse. (If I sound traumatised, it’s because I had many a chocolate mousse failure, before figuring it out. Read my hints and tips here if you’re in the market for light, bubbly mousse rather than rich, velvety chocolate.)
You can make these in any pots you like, as long as they can stand up to some heat. They are baked in hot water in a baking tray – a bain marie. I use old ceramic or glass yogurt pots or little jam jars. It just depends how big you want each portion to be …
I will say that they are rich so you might want to go for smaller portions and then top with whipped cream to lighten them up.
These red yogurt pots were a bit much. I made 6 servings from the 6 egg yolk quantities but 8 pots would have been perfect. That said, I somehow managed to finish one off anyway!
I have given quantities below for 6 egg yolks but it can be easily adapted to 4 egg yolks.
You can substitute creme fraîche for the double cream or use a mix, depending on what you have to hand. Creme fraîche adds a tangy flavour but don’t be alarmed if you see solid particles in your mixture which form as creme fraîche is heated up – you’ll strain them out anyway.
I have previously made Michael Rechiutti’s burnt caramel pots de crème – they were amazing, if a little fiddly – but this time I started with David Leibovitz’s chocolate pot recipe before adapting it to my taste (and fridge!). Here’s the link to his post and recipe if you like to read about cooking with chocolate as much as eating it!
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- 60g caster sugar
- 300ml milk
- 300ml double cream or creme fraiche
- 1/2 tsp fleur de sel / sea salt flakes
- 225g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
Method
Switch your oven on to 160°C and put your kettle on to boil.
Chop the chocolate and put in a medium-sized bowl. (You need space in it for the milk and cream)
Heat the milk and cream with the salt in a small saucepan until it starts to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate and use a whisk to stir it until it’s blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together.
Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk and sugar mix, stirring constantly.
Sit a sieve on top of a large jug or bowl and strain the mixture into the jug below to get rid of any lumps.
Arrange the pots in a deep baking tray and pour or spoon the strained, smooth, luscious chocolate cream into them.
Pour boiling water into the baking tray so it comes about half way up the pots and carefully carry the baking tray.
Bake the pots in their water bath for 30-35 minutes until just set. To check, you’ll need to shake one of the pots gently. The perfect texture is when the chocolate cream is set on top but wobbles a little in the middle. This allows for the fact that they will continue to cook for a while after you’ve taken them out of the oven.
As soon as you can, lift the pots out of their water bath and set them on a cooling rack.
Then it’s up to you: enjoy them warm and saucy or fridge them and have them dense and set; top them with whipped cream or leave them unadulterated.
They will keep fresh in the fridge for a couple of days.