| Puddings
Custards and Frozen Desserts
Featured
 "A
simply divine finale to any dinner, the silkiness of
this rich and elegant chocolate dessert will take your
guests to a new height. They will leave thinking they
were in heaven."
Chocolate Pot de Cremes
2 cups whole milk
10 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, split open and scraped
1 tsp. Espresso granules
8 ounces dark chocolate
8 ounces heavy cream
2 Tbsp. Confectioners sugar
½ tsp. Vanilla
Place 8/4 ounce ramekins or 10/3 ounce pot de creme
pots in a 4 inch high baking pan (hotel pan). Preheat
the oven to 325 degrees.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the
sugar until the sugar is dissolved. In a medium sauce
pan bring the milk, vanilla and espresso to a boil.
Reduce. Temper the egg yolk mixture with the milk, then
add the yolk mixture to the milk. Stirring constantly,
bring the mixture to a near boil, then add the shaved
chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate is
melted, the foam disappears and the mixture looks silky
and begins to thicken. Immediately strain the mixture
through a chinois or a very fine sieve, into a large
glass pouring cup. Strain the mixture twice to produce
an even silkier texture.
Pour the creme evenly into the ramekins. Place the
baking pan holding the pot de cremes onto the middle
rack of the preheated oven. Carefully add boiling water
to the baking pan, bringing the water half way up the
sides of the ramekins. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes
or until the pot de cremes seem set around the edges,
but not quite set in the middle. Remove them from the
water bath and cool them to room temperature on a wire
rack. Refrigerate them if you are preparing them in
advance, but remember to remove them from the
refrigerator at least ½ hour before service, as these
should not be served chilled.
Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the
confectioners sugar and vanilla and continue whipping
until cream reaches a piping consistency. Pipe rosettes
onto the pot de cremes and garnish them with shaved
chocolate or chocolate wafers (be creative!)
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