Chambord Pot De Creme With Chocolate Food

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Put the chocolate into a medium bowl. Combine the cream and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 30 seconds or so to allow the chocolate to melt, then stir together until smooth.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla paste. Slowly stream the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or pitcher, then pour into six 4-ounce ramekins or ceramic cups or bowls.
• Arrange the ramekins in a baking dish or pan and carefully add enough hot water to come about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the pots de creme sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. If they still appear very jiggly in the middle, let them sit for another 5 minutes in the hot water. You want the custards to be very firm around the edges and to barely move toward the center when gently shaken.
• Remove the ramekins from the hot water and let cool in a cool area of the kitchen before serving, or chill to serve cold.

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.

CHAMBORD CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk together cream cheese, 3 tablespoons Chambord and raspberry jam until very smooth. In another bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until combined. Spoon into small glasses; refrigerate. Just before serving, drizzle remaining Chambord over cream mixture. Serve with fresh fruit.

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bring cream and milk just to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Strain mixture into another bowl. Cool 10 minutes, skimming any foam from surface.
• Divide custard mixture among six 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Cover each with foil. Place cups in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custards are set but centers still move slightly when gently shaken, about 55 minutes. Remove from water. Remove foil. Chill custards until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

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.

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.

DARK CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• For the dark chocolate pots de crème: In a large measuring cup or large bowl, add the chopped dark chocolate. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, add the cream, milk, and vanilla, if using, and whisk to combine. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Be careful not to let the mixture boil over!
• While the cream and milk heat up, in a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until smooth.
• As soon as the cream and milk simmer, turn off the heat. Whisking the egg yolks constantly, gradually pour in two ladlefuls of the hot cream and milk mixture into the egg. This will temper the egg yolks, that is, heat them slowly to prevent them from turning grainy.
• Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan while whisking. Return to medium-low heat and whisk constantly for 2 more minutes.
• Here's how to tell when the custard is done: dip a spoon into the custard, then trace a line with your finger over the back of the spoon. If the indentation remains, it means the custard is done.
• Strain the custard into the bowl containing the chopped dark chocolate. Let sit without stirring for two minutes, then whisk until smooth. (The chocolate pots de crème mixture will appear grainy at first as the chocolate starts to melt into the cream, but it will fully smooth out as you whisk.)
• Divide the chocolate pots de crème mixture between 8 small glasses, cups, or ramekins, or bowls (½ cup/125 ml capacity). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours, or until the chocolate pots de crème are cool and set.
• SERVING: Bring the chocolate pots de crème back to room temperature 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with whipped cream and grated dark chocolate, if desired. Enjoy!
• STORAGE: Keep chocolate pots de crème covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

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 POT DE CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange 6 (6-ounce) ramekins in a roasting pan.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and instant espresso powder and bring almost to a simmer over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Allow to sit 1 minute. Using a whisk, combine the ingredients until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth. (You could also heat the cream in the microwave until almost boiling. Pour over the chocolate and espresso powder. Let sit 2 minutes, and then whisk to combine.)
• Whisk the egg yolks, orange zest and sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the hot chocolate mixture and stir until the ingredients are incorporated.
• Divide the custard equally among the cups using either a 4-ounce ladle or a 6-ounce ladle. Using a wet paper towel, clean up the sides of the ramekins, if needed. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups. (You could also place the ramekins in the roasting pan, place the pan in the oven and pour the water into the pan, halfway up the sides of the ramekins.) Bake the custards until just set around the edges but still soft in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cold.
• Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar evenly over each custard. Pick up the ramekin and gently swirl the sugar to evenly distribute. Working with 1 pot de creme at a time, hold a blowtorch so that the flame is 2 inches above the surface. Starting in the center and working in a circular motion, heat the sugar until it melts and caramelizes.
• Cook's Note: Feel free to try different chocolates or a combination of 2 or more. Milk chocolate adds mellow sweetness to the mix, while bittersweet chocolate adds a rich complexity. I find kids (and the kid in some adults) clamor for the milk chocolate and many adults adore the semisweet or bittersweet. Alternately, play with flavors. Swap out the espresso powder for a splash of raspberry liqueur, like Chambord or Framboise for a fruity finish. Experiment and find what you love-it's fun!
• Propane gas torches are highly flammable and should be kept away from heat, open flame, and prolonged exposure to sunlight. They should only be used in well-ventilated areas. When lighting a propane gas torch, place the torch on a flat, steady surface, facing away from you. Light the match or lighter and then open the gas valve. Light the gas jet, and blow out the match. Always turn off the burner valve to "finger tight" when finished using the torch. Children should never use a propane gas torch without adult supervision.

CHAMBORD POT DE CREME WITH CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Mix Chambord liqueur, espresso and 1 T sugar. Put mixture in a pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon without stopping until mixture is reduced by half; allow to cool.
• In a medium pan, scald cream and milk, and remove pan from heat. In a double boiler, melt chocolate; add to milk and cream mixture; allow to cool.
• Place oven rack in the middle position; preheat oven to 300°F.
• Working in a bowl, whisk yolks with remaining 2 T sugar until mixture is pale and thick. Very gradually and gently, whisk liquid into egg mixture , being careful not to create air bubbles.
• Arrange 8 coffee cups or ramekins in a small roasting pan filled with warm water, leaving space between them and fill each cup or ramekin to the top with custard mixture. Cover pan tightly with foil. Put pan into oven and bake custards for about 40 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, allow to sit in water bath for 10 more minutes.
• Pot de Creme can be prepared one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.