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Recipe combo

French Chocolate Pots de Creme

A French-style chocolate custard dessert with a smooth, spoonable texture and deep semisweet chocolate flavor. This alcohol-free version uses common grocery-store ingredients and a gentle water bath for classic custard results.

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Ingredients and instructions

Servings
6
Total time
55 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min

Ingredients

  • 6 Ounce semisweet chocolate chips - 6 (ounces)
  • 2 Cup heavy cream - 2 (cups)
  • 0.5 Cup whole milk - 1/2 (cup)
  • 0.25 Cup granulated sugar - 1/4 (cup)
  • 5 Each large eggs - 5 (count), Use the yolks in the custard; save the whites for another use.
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract - 1 (teaspoon)
  • 0.13 Teaspoon fine salt - 1/8 (teaspoon)
  • 4 Cup hot water - 4 (cups), For the baking water bath.

Instructions

  1. Preheat and separate eggs

    1. *Preheat the oven to 325°F* and place six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9x13-inch baking dish. *Separate the eggs*, placing the yolks in a medium mixing bowl and saving the whites for another use.

  2. Heat the dairy mixture

    2. In a medium saucepan, combine the *heavy cream*, *whole milk*, granulated sugar, and fine salt. Heat over medium, whisking often, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is *steaming with small bubbles at the edges*.

  3. Melt the chocolate

    3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the *semisweet chocolate chips*, and let stand for *2 minutes*. Whisk until the chocolate is *fully melted and smooth*.

  4. Temper the egg yolks

    4. Whisk the egg yolks with the *vanilla extract*. Slowly drizzle about 1 cup of the warm chocolate cream into the yolks while *whisking constantly*, then whisk the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan until *evenly combined*.

  5. Strain and set up the water bath

    5. Pour the custard through a *fine-mesh strainer* into a clean bowl. Divide it evenly among the ramekins, then place the baking dish on the oven rack and carefully pour in *hot water halfway up the ramekin sides*.

  6. Bake the custards

    6. Loosely cover the baking dish with foil and bake for *28 to 35 minutes*, until the edges are set and the centers have a *gentle jiggle*. The custards should reach *160°F in the center* for proper egg custard safety.

  7. Cool and chill

    7. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool at room temperature for *30 minutes*. Cover and chill until *cold and fully set*, at least 3 hours.

  8. Serve

    8. Serve the French Chocolate Pots de Creme chilled, with a *smooth custard texture* and a *glossy chocolate finish*.