Sensuous Chocolate Custard

By Andrew Zimmern

Pot de crème (or ‘pot of cream’) is a traditional French custard. This sinfully decadent chocolate version is easy to prepare and perfect for dinner parties since you can make it ahead and refrigerate until you’re ready for dessert. Serve with whipped cream, sprinkle powdered sugar, top with berries, or let the rich chocolate shine all on its own.

Chocolate Pot de Crème

Servings: 6

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the unsweetened chocolate and put in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Whisk yolks, adding sugar gradually until pale yellow and ribbon-y.

Heat the heavy cream to a bare simmer and pull from heat. Pour the hot cream into the yolks, stirring not whisking until incorporated. Pour mixture through a sieve into the mixing bowl with the chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts. Then add the vanilla extract.

Place six pot de crème pots (or six 4-ounce ramekins) in a baking pan and divide the chocolate custard among them. Fill the pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350. When the custard is just set to a tender jiggle, remove, cool and refrigerate until chilled.

Photograph by Madeleine Hill.