These Chocolate Espresso Pots de Crème combine the indulgence of chocolate with a hint of espresso in a luxurious silky smooth custard. This tasty dessert adds a touch of sophistication to any meal and is perfect for special occasions like date nights, birthdays or Valentine's Day.
This Chocolate Espresso Pot de Crème is one of my all-time favorite chocolate desserts. I mean, who doesn't love creamy, dreamy chocolate goodness, right?
When I'm craving chocolate, I'll usually make my peanut butter chocolate rice cake or dark chocolate almond clusters.
But when I'm looking for a chocolate dessert for a special occasion, I usually turn to this chocolate pot de crème recipe. It's a dish that I learned years ago when I was in culinary school and I still make today. It never fails to impress!
The custard of this French dessert is incredibly smooth and velvety. And adding a hint of espresso? It gives a rich, decadent edge that makes these pots of cream over-the-top delicious. It's a heavenly chocolate experience that’ll melt in your mouth with every bite!
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What is a Pot de Creme?
A pot de crème (pronounced poh duh KREHM) is a French dessert, which translates to “pot of cream.”
A pot de crème is a custard dessert made with cream, eggs and flavorings (commonly chocolate) that’s baked in the oven. It's baked in a water bath to provide slow even cooking. This is a common technique used for delicate desserts like cheesecakes and custards.
Pot de crème is typically served in a small lidded pot (hence the name) and chilled before serving. It’s like a more sophisticated version of chocolate pudding.
For greater depth of flavor, I like to infuse my pots de crème with espresso powder. It's a little tip that I learned from watching Ina Garten! The espresso enhances the flavor of the chocolate and takes it to another level.
This is a decadent dish that I usually reserve for special occasions, like birthdays, anniversaries or Valentine's Day. Because it's served in a small pot or ramekin, it helps keep the calories in check.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Luxurious Treat- The perfect blend of rich, velvety chocolate and a hint of espresso
- Easy and Impressive- An impressive dish but doesn't require hours of prep or a long list of ingredients
- Perfect for Every Occasion- perfect for special occasions like date nights, birthdays or Valentine’s Day!
Ingredients
See recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredient amounts and recipe details.
- Chocolate- use a good-quality semisweet chocolate for rich flavor
- Heavy cream- gives this great dessert a smooth, creamy texture
- Whole milk- balances the richness of heavy cream
- Instant espresso powder- instant espresso powder adds depth of flavor and enhances the chocolate
- Sugar- I use regular granulated sugar but you can use any sugar of your choice
- Egg yolks- thicken the mixture and give a custard-like texture. You can reserve the egg whites for other recipes like my healthy breakfast burritos.
How To Make Chocolate Espresso Pots De Creme Step-By-Step
See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe details.
- Step 1- Roughly chop the chocolate.
- Step 2- Heat cream, milk, sugar, and espresso powder in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar and espresso powder. Do not let it come to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until it is completely melted.
- Step 3- Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl. Pour a small amount of the warm chocolate mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the rest of the mixture into the yolks in a slow stream while whisking. Be sure to whisk the continuously to temper the yolks and prevent curdling. Pour the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into 4 small ramekins placed in a baking dish.
- Step 4- Place baking dish in the oven and pour hot water into the dish so that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins (this is referred to as a hot water bath). Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F until the edges of the custards are set but the centers are still slightly wobbly, about 45-55 minutes.
Carefully remove baking dish from the oven and transfer ramekins to a wire rack to cool for an hour. Then, refrigerate the pots de crème until cold, a few hours or overnight.
Serve pots de crème with a dollop of lightly whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with chocolate shavings and a dusting of espresso powder.
How to Serve Pot De Crème
For serving the pots de crème, it’s best to use small cups, such as ramekins, mini cocottes or demitasse cups (espresso cups). Just be sure they're oven safe.
Remove the pots de creme from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before serving. Allowing them to come to a slight room temperature can enhance their flavors and make the texture even more luscious.
You can garnish the pot de crème with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of espresso powder. You can also top it with chocolate shavings for some added chocolate flavor or fresh berries.
Chef's Tips
- When heating your cream mixture on the stovetop, be careful to not let it boil over.
- Pour the cream into the egg yolks, as your goal is to bring the eggs up to temperature gradually without causing them to cook or curdle.
- Remember to strain the custard mixture before pouring it into the ramekins. This will ensure your pots de crème are perfectly smooth.
- Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let the pots de crème sit for about 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQs
A pot de crème is typically made of a rich custard base consisting of egg yolks, sugar, and cream, flavored with ingredients such as chocolate, vanilla, coffee, or other flavorings. It is then baked in individual ramekins in a water bath until set, resulting in a smooth and creamy dessert.
Both mousse and pots de crème are creamy desserts but the difference lies in their texture and preparation method. Mousse is light and airy, typically made by folding whipped cream or egg whites into a flavored base like chocolate or fruit puree. Pots de crème have a denser, custard-like consistency, are made with egg yolks, and are baked in a water bath to achieve their silky smooth texture.
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Recipe
Chocolate Espresso Pots de Crème
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 ½ ounces good quality semisweet chocolate (about 6 tablespoons)
- 3 egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat the cream, milk, sugar and espresso powder in a medium saucepan until it just comes to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and espresso powder. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl. Pour a small amount of the warm chocolate mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the rest of the mixture into the yolks in a slow stream while whisking. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into 4 ramekins.
- Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan or baking dish. In a kettle or small pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a simmer. Place the roasting pan on a shelf in the middle of the oven and carefully pour the simmering water into the pan so that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins (this is referred to as a hot water bath). Cover the pan with foil and bake in the oven until the edges of the custards are set but the centers are still slightly wobbly, about 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven and place the ramekins on a wire rack to cool for an hour. Then refrigerate until cold, a few hours or overnight.
- Serve pots de crème with a dollop of lightly whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with chocolate shavings and a dusting of espresso powder.
Notes
- When heating your cream mixture on the stovetop, be careful to not let it boil over.
- Pour the cream into the egg yolks, as your goal is to bring the eggs up to temperature gradually without causing them to cook or curdle.
- Remember to strain the custard mixture before pouring it into the ramekins. This will ensure your pots de crème are perfectly smooth.
- Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let the pots de crème sit for about 20 minutes before serving.
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