Double Chocolate Cardamom Pots Food

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.

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.