So Easy, Chocolate Pots de Crème Made in the Blender
If only the French would have had a handy electric kitchen blender in the 17th century – This delicious French dessert custard made with dark semi-sweet chocolate, milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, and sugar could have been so much easier done the American way.
Don’t get me wrong.
I’m not one to knock the French cooking tradition. Heaven knows I’m admittedly green with envy of anyone who has the privilege to study and truly learn it. Still, these easy Chocolate Pots de Crème desserts made in the blender are divine nonetheless and a whole lot less fussy to make.
I’ve made them both ways, and while some might argue that the differences are negligible, with my untrained culinary experience, I still can tell you that there IS a difference.
If you are a traditionalist, you should make pots de crème like the French do. When making it traditionally, you will most likely notice that the French version is full-bodied and rich due to using only heavy cream (no milk), and the creamy texture is smoother because of how it cooks as it bakes. You will also find that the custards’ top layer bakes to create a thicker skin-like surface, which is sort of fun to break through as you’re spooning it.
But for most, it’s all in what you’re used to, I’d say.
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How to make the Americanized version of Chocolate Pots de Crème using your blender.
The Americanized version of these luscious, deep, decadent chocolate pots of cream is easy to make in the blender. Who would not be all about this! And they give a similar result that is perfect for your date night or dinner party arsenal of uncomplicated go-to recipes!
Again, you’ll make these with the simplest ingredients that you most likely already have on hand. So grab out that good-quality chocolate you’ve been saving, some milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and salt, and let’s create this decadent, creamy, chocolatey dessert that’s maliciously delicious.
BTW:
“Maliciously Delicious” is a term my Mother-in-Law taught me to describe sinfully delicious desserts that are over the top yummy good. And this chocolate pot de crème certainly ranks right up there!
Best enjoyed by the spoonful, as its name suggests, selecting the right “pot” or vessel for serving it is where it all begins. The desserts are decadent and filling – so only a small portion is all you need. I like to use small decorative cocktail glasses, dessert cups, or fancy ramekins that hold about 1/2 cup for individual servings. Get these out now, so you’re ready to fill them in the final step.
Let's get making this...
- Start by adding 8 ounces of good-quality semi-sweet chocolate (70% is ideal) to a blender and pulse to chop roughly.
- Meanwhile, whisk 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 6 large egg yolks, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring continually with a heatproof spatula to almost boiling (about 5 minutes) until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula.
- Immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate into the blender. Cover and hold the blender lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend on low, increasing the speed to medium to continue until the chocolate and the cooked mixture are thoroughly combined and silky smooth. Pour dividing into the “pots” you selected earlier and refrigerate until set.
- Before serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar using an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Top the chilled pots de crème with a whipped cream dollop, dust with a pinch of cocoa powder, or a few cocoa nibs. As an extra garnish, top with a fresh raspberry or a mint sprig if desired.
These tasty, easy to make little pots of yummy chocolate crème fits all the criteria for uncomplicated go-to desserts.
You can:
- Make them ahead of time, with
- Minimal last-minute prep
- They’re above the ordinary, with
- Universal appeal (both adults and kids will love them)
- They look like you fussed for hours (exceptional presentation), and
- They’re super delicious too!
Check, check, check, check, check, and check!
The classic French method of making Pots de Crème
The traditional French process is more involved. To do it, you start by heating 3 cups of heavy cream and semi-sweet dark chocolate over medium to medium-low heat to melt the chocolate. Next, you will whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl. Then, the chocolate cream gets whisked into the egg and sugar mixture before getting filled evenly into little pots (or ramekins) and placed in a baking dish.
That baking dish gets filled with hot water (3/4 of the way up the pots’ side) to bake in a water bath. The water bath ensures the cream will remain smooth when baking because only the top of the cream bakes in dry heat, which creates the signature “skin-like” surface of the Pots de Crème.
As noted earlier, the whole procedure is slightly time-consuming and rather fussy. Overall, increasing the prep time to around 20 minutes and the cooking (baking) time to a solid 30 minutes.
Cooking and Serving Notes for traditional Pot de Crème
- Choose eggs and cream that are as fresh as possible.
- You can choose traditional 1/2 (120ml) cup glass “pots” (like the little ones you buy yogurt in at the store), individual porcelain ramekins, or other oven-safe vessels.
- Choose a high-quality semi-sweet dark chocolate (70% is ideal). Chocolate Pots de Crème doesn’t have many ingredients – so the best chocolate you can find makes all the difference!
- As mentioned above, if you’re looking to create the French signature texture, baking pots de crème in a water bath is essential to creating a creamy custard underneath with a thick “skin” on top.
- When baking traditionally, and if you’re afraid of spilling water everywhere when transferring the dish into the oven. Set the baking dish with only the pots (and no water) onto the oven rack, then pour the water into the baking dish. When done, turn the oven off, open the door and wait for the pots and water to cool to the touch before removing them.
- Most Chocolate Pots de Crème in France are enjoyed “naked,” with no toppings from what I’ve read. In North America, whipped cream and chocolate shavings often garnish the desserts – which is an excellent way to use up any leftover or remaining heavy cream and chocolate you may have after making this recipe.
- Enjoy the pots de crème warm or let them cool to room temperature, refrigerate them (for up to 2 days) to enjoy by the spoonful to satisfy any creamy, rich chocolate craving you may have.
Whichever way that you make them, as my Mother-in-Law would say, they’re “Maliciously Delicious!!”
Enjoy!
XXO
Kymberley
P.S. Have you tried this recipe? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment. When you leave a comment below, share and rate it – it’s super helpful for other readers and us. Just click the blue-green comment bubble on the bottom left of your screen to jump to the comment area.
Learn how to adjust the serving size, CLICK HERE
Chocolate Pots de Crème Made in the Blender
EQUIPMENT
- Blender
- Saucepan
- Utensils (Measuring Cups & Spoons, Whisk, Rubber Spatula or Large Spoon)
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces good-quality Semi-sweet Dark Chocolate
- 1 ½ cups whole Milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping Cream divided
- 6 large Egg yolks
- 4 tablespoons granulated Sugar add an extra tablespoon if using bitter chocolate
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Confectioners’ Sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add chocolate to a blender and pulse to roughly chop.
- Meanwhile, whisk the milk, 1 cup cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring continually with a heatproof spatula to almost boiling (about 5 minutes) until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula.
- Immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate into the blender. Cover and hold the blender lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until the chocolate and the cooked mixture is combined and smooth. Pour into fancy glasses, ramekins, or small bowls and refrigerate until set.
- Before serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the confectioners’ sugar with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Top the chilled pots de crème with a dollop of whipped cream, dust with a pinch of cocoa powder, or a few cocoa nibs, then garnish with fresh raspberries or a mint sprig if desired.
KITCHEN NOTES
Nutrition
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(Nutritional values are an approximation. Actual nutritional values may vary due to preparation techniques, variations related to suppliers, regional and seasonal differences, or rounding.)
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