For those who’re on the lookout for a luscious, make-ahead dessert for the vacation season, chocolate pots de creme present a chic finale to a festive meal. These little terrines are crammed with a wealthy and silky chocolate custard that’s greatest ready at some point upfront of serving, making them supreme for entertaining and cooking for a crowd.
This traditional recipe depends on a brief checklist of elements and calls for a high-quality darkish chocolate to ship its wealthy, deep taste. It’s fortified with a splash of orange liqueur that faintly perfumes the custard.
Whereas the pots may be merely adorned with a dollop of whipped cream, add a little bit additional vacation sparkle with a dusting of orange-infused sugar. It’s a zesty garnish that lends shiny citrusy notes to stability the creamy chocolate whereas accentuating the orange that ripples by way of the custard and whipped cream.
Chocolate Orange Pots de Creme
Lively time: half-hour
Whole time: 1 hour and half-hour, plus in a single day cooling time for the custards and drying time for the sugar
Yield: Makes 6 (3/4-cup) ramekins or 10 to 12 espresso cups
INGREDIENTS
Pots de creme:
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup entire milk
6 ounces high-quality darkish (70% to 75%) chocolate, finely chopped
5 giant egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons orange liqueur, resembling Cointreau
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Orange sugar:
1 giant untreated navel orange
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons orange liqueur (elective)
DIRECTIONS
Warmth the oven to 325 levels.
Mix the cream and milk in a saucepan over medium warmth. Warmth till it simply reaches a simmer. Take away the pan from the warmth and whisk within the chocolate till melted and easy.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar collectively in a big bowl to mix. Slowly add the cream combination in a gentle stream, whisking consistently to mix (to forestall the eggs from curdling). Whisk within the orange liqueur, vanilla and salt.
Pressure the custard by way of a fine-meshed sieve right into a clear bowl. Cool for five minutes.
Divide the custard between ramekins or espresso cups. Place the ramekins in a baking pan. Fill the pan with boiling water midway up the ramekins. Cowl the ramekins with foil, then switch to oven.
Bake till the pots are set however nonetheless a little bit wobbly when jiggled, about 55 minutes for ramekins (or 45 minutes for espresso cups). Take away the ramekins from the water tub and take away the foil. Cool utterly. As soon as cool, cowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate in a single day.
Sooner or later upfront of serving, make the orange sugar. Finely grate the zest of the orange whereas avoiding the white pith. Switch to a bowl and add the sugar. Utilizing your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar to launch the oils and barely coloration the sugar. Unfold on a small baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand at room temperature in a single day. It should dry out because it stands.
When able to serve the custards, make the whipped cream. Beat the cream within the bowl of an electrical mixer till traces of the whisk seem. Add the sugar and orange liqueur. Proceed to beat till peaks kind.
To serve, sprinkle the orange sugar over the tops of the custards. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning author, cookbook writer and recipe developer based mostly in Northern California.Go to TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.
