Chocolate Pistachio Pots De Creme Food

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 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.)

PISTACHIO POT DE CREME

Steps:

• Pour the heavy cream, vanilla and pistachios into a pot and place over medium heat. Bring the cream to a simmer, do not boil.
• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is a lemon colour. Temper the yolks by gradually whisking in the hot cream into the yolks and sugar mixture. Do not add the hot cream too quickly or the eggs will cook. Place mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine strainer, discarding any solids.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Pour the mixture into 6 - 8 oz ramekins, filling them three quarters of the way up. Fill a large shallow baking pan with 1/2" warm water. Carefully place the ramekins in the water bath and bake for about 35 minutes; the centre should just wiggle slightly.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water for about 10 minutes. Then put them in the fridge for at least 2 hours to chill.

POT DE CREME

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the egg, sugar and salt. Whisk in cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture reaches 160 and coats the back of a metal spoon.
• Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate chips and vanilla until smooth. Pour into small dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.