Classic French Chocolate Pots de Crème Recipe
Classic French Chocolate Pots de Crème is a rich, silky custard dessert made with dark chocolate, heavy cream, and egg yolks. This elegant treat is baked in a water bath to ensure a smooth, creamy texture and is perfect for special occasions or a luxurious everyday dessert. Topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, it delivers intense chocolate flavor in every spoonful.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pots de Crème
- 400ml heavy cream (35%)
- 6 oz (180g) semi-sweet dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
For Serving
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and position a rack in the middle of the oven to prepare for baking the custards evenly.
- Melt Chocolate and Cream: In a medium saucepan, gently warm the heavy cream with the semi-sweet dark chocolate over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to melt the chocolate thoroughly without letting the mixture reach a boil. Remove from heat once fully combined.
- Whisk Egg Yolks: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt vigorously for about 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Temper the egg yolks by adding 2 tablespoons of the warm chocolate cream, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Gradually incorporate the remaining warm cream while continuing to whisk until smooth.
- Assemble Pots: Pour the chocolate custard mixture evenly into six small ramekins or pots, each holding approximately 120ml (½ cup).
- Bake in Water Bath: Place the ramekins into a large baking dish. Pour hot water into the dish until it reaches three-quarters up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, allowing the custards to set gently and develop a creamy texture.
- Cool and Chill: Remove the baking dish from the oven carefully and take out the ramekins. Let them cool completely at room temperature before covering each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until fully chilled and set.
- Serve: Before serving, garnish each pot with a generous dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate shavings for a decadent finish.
Notes
- Use quality semi-sweet dark chocolate for the best flavor.
- Do not boil the cream and chocolate mixture to avoid seizing the chocolate or curdling the custard.
- Tempering the egg yolks is essential to prevent scrambling when mixing with the warm cream.
- The water bath helps cook the custards gently and evenly, resulting in a smooth texture.
- You can prepare the pots de crème a day ahead, allowing flavors to meld beautifully.
- Serve chilled for the perfect texture and taste.
Keywords: Chocolate custard, French dessert, pots de crème, creamy chocolate dessert, baked custard
