Choc-A-Pot Chocolate Pots De Crème Recipe

A rich chocolate finale

At the soon-to-open elm in New Canaan, Connecticut, both chef Brian Lewis and pastry chef Caryn Stabinsky approach classic dishes with a modern eye. Stabinsky's take on chocolate pots de crème balances the custard's intense richness with a glasslike panel of crackly caramelized sugar on top. Although Stabinsky recommends any small container as a serving vessel, we prefer the shallower variety, allowing for an ample crunch-to-crème ratio.

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Recipe adapted from Caryn Stabinsky, elm, New Canaan, CT

Chocolate Pots de Creme

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How to make chocolate pots de crème.

servings
4
ramekins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ vanilla bean pod, split and scraped
  • ¼ cup hot water or coffee
  • Pinch kosher salt

Directions

  1. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the cream, ¼ cup of the sugar and the vanilla-bean pod and seeds and bring to a rapid boil.
  3. Slowly pour the hot-cream mixture into the eggs, whisking to combine. Over the bowl of chocolate, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (discard the vanilla pod). Gently whisk in the water and salt until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into four 4-ounce ramekins and refrigerate overnight. To serve, sprinkle each pots de crème with 1 tablespoon of the remaining granulated sugar and use a torch to caramelize the sugar. Serve immediately. (If you don't have a kitchen torch, use the broiler: Adjust the oven rack to the highest position and heat the broiler to high. Place the sugar-sprinkled pots de crème on a rimmed sheet pan and set under the broiler until the sugar is browned, turning the sheet pan midway through broiling. Note: Keep an eye on the pots de crème as the sugar can burn quickly.)
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