Chocolate Pot De Crème Food

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.)

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 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.

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.