Extra-Bittersweet Chocolate Pots De Crème

There’s no hiding it, I love French food.  I’ve taken three trips to Paris in my life.  And I can tell you I ate my way through the city, always leaving wanting more.  The last two trips came after I studied at the French Culinary Institute, now known as The International Culinary Center, which left me further impressed with what goes into great French cooking.  Classic French cuisine goes in and out of popularity, but it is never forgotten.  Indeed, while I can think of many cooking trends in my life, the love of French classics always seems to return.

Some French recipes are considered critical to know as a chef, and some I feel are essential for any foodie or home cook.  Chocolate pots de crème is one of those essential classical French desserts.  For those who have never experienced it, a pot de crème is a French custard that was first created back in the 17^th century.  The name translates to “pot of custard”.  It is a simple yet classic treat and it is one of the easiest French desserts to make.

There are many recipes for pots de crème.  Many are good, but this one is great.  This is Melissa Clark’s recipe, and it is wonderful.  Although it is unusual for me when cooking other people’s recipes, I have not adapted a thing in this one, even the recipe is transcribed in Clark’s words, not mine.  I believe it is perfect just the way it is.  Pots de crème traditionally is served in a small pot (or ramekin).  It is lighter than other well-known custards, such as flan and crème caramel, which are a bit more common.  Pots de crème could not be easier to make.

Like any chocolate-based dessert, chocolate choice is important.  That said, I like easy-to-find ingredients and my go-to chocolate typically is Ghirardelli.  Clark uses a nice mixture of bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate to make this recipe on the extra bitter side, which I feel is just the right combination.

The real trick with this recipe is baking the dessert in a water bath, which steams the custards gently and evenly.  Because this custard is served chilled, the cooling time adds time to the recipe, but whipping this up takes no time at all.  I love pots de crème for dinner parties as this is a fantastic make-ahead dessert option and can easily be done for large groups.  But don’t get me wrong, these tasty decadent treats are also wonderful for a cozy family weekend dinner as well.