Description

Adapted from this Fine Cooking recipe. Pot de crème, which translates to “pot of cream,” is pronounced: POH-də-KREM

See notes below if you’d like to make this for only 2 people.

I recently made a double batch of this for a Valentine’s Day dinner at the Vischer Ferry General Store. For a double batch, I added 1/2 cup Grand Marnier, and I thought it turned out especially well. I also use Guittard 72% chocolate wafers, which also attributed to its especially nice flavor.

These are the glasses I used to serve the pot de crème in: 5 oz. Libbey Lexington Juice Glass. You have to buy a case, which has 36 glasses, which is a lot, but they are so handy for water, wine, all sorts of desserts. I’ve split a case with a friend in the past only to buy another full case to have on hand. If you want to buy fewer glasses, these are similar and you can buy fewer (12).

Ingredients

for the pot de crème (see notes below for small-batch version):

2 cup heavy cream
1 cup 2% or whole milk
8 large egg yolks
12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or chocolate bars broken into small pieces (Guittard 66-72% cacao chocolate wafers makes for an especially delicious flavor)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt plus more to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier, optional

for the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar + more to taste
1/2 teaspoon plus more to taste flaky sea salt such as Maldon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Heat the cream and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalding hot. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the eggs.
Return the milk mixture to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and whisk until it thickens, about 1 minute, or until it coats the back of a spoon. Note: rely less on time here and more on visual cues: you want the custard to coat the back of a spoon; if you dip a spoon or spatula into the custard and then run your finger through the custard coating the spoon, a clear line should remain. This is the critical step. It’s important that the milk mixture thickens otherwise the final mixture will never set.
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and sugar; whisk until melted. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Add the salt and stir to combine. Taste. Season with more sea salt to taste — I always a few more pinches to taste. Add the vanilla and booze, if using. Start with 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, then add more to taste, stirring after each addition—the mixture might look thin, especially if you add 4 tablespoons of booze, but it will thicken in the fridge. Divide the mixture between eight to ten 6-oz. ramekins or serving glasses. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile: make the whipped cream: Beat the cream with a whisk or with the whip of a stand mixer. When it begins to form soft peaks, add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla. Continue to beat until the peaks get firmer, but are still soft and pillowy. Taste. Add more sugar if it’s not sweet enough; add more salt to taste. I like the whipped cream to not be too sweet because the pot de crème is sweet and rich on its own. I typically add a pinch more salt and a pinch more sugar.
To serve, bring the pot de creme to room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving. Spoon whipped cream over chocolate. Shave chocolate over top.