Hazelnut Pot De Crème Food

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Spoon the chocolate-hazelnut spread into your blender. Add the chopped chocolate. Set your ramekins/cocottes/teacups/glasses on a baking sheet.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, sugar, salt and egg yolks over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes; I like to use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula so that I can make sure the eggs aren't catching on the bottom and cooking. Cook until the custard thickens, resembling something like very thick paint. It should register between 175 and 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Another test: the custard should coat the back of the spatula, and when you draw a line across the back of the spatula with your (clean!) finger, the line should hold and maintain its edges without running. Remove from the heat immediately.
• Now, pour the warm custard through a strainer into the blender. Let it sit 5 minutes to melt the chocolate. Add the Sriracha, espresso powder if using and vanilla extract. Then, put the lid on the blender, hold down with a thick kitchen towel, and blend on low, then high, until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides if necessary. Taste for seasoning.
• Pour the custard into your containers, tapping them against the rim of the baking sheet to remove air bubbles. Pop them in the fridge and chill until the custards are set, 2 to 3 hours.
• Top with whipped cream or creme fraiche, some grated chocolate and minced hazelnuts. A little sea salt would be nice too.

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.

HAZELNUT POT DE CRèME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream and milk just to a boil; pour over chocolate and stir until melted.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until smooth. Whisk one-third of the chocolate mixture into egg yolk mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate mixture, hazelnut liqueur and vanilla until smooth. Pour into six 6-oz (175 mL) custard cups or ramekins; place ramekins in 13 x 9-inch (3 L) baking dish. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of the ramekins.
• Bake in centre of oven until set around edge, but still slightly wiggly in centre, about 20 min. Remove ramekins to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• Garnish each ramekin with a sprinkle of hazelnuts and a few fresh raspberries.

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.)

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Combine half-and-half, chocolate and sugar in small heavy saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the mixture reaches a full boil and thickens.
• Gradually stir about half of hot chocolate mixture into beaten egg yolks. Stir egg yolk mixture into remaining hot chocolate mixture. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in Frangelico and vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture into six pots de crème cups, demitasse cups or soufflé cups. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
• Make the sweetened whipped cream:.
• In a chilled bowl, beat cream with sugar and Frangelico until soft peaks form, using electric mixer at medium speed.
• Assembly:.
• Garnish each pot de crème with a dollop of whipped cream and chopped hazelnuts.