Craving a fancy dessert that’s easier to make than it looks? These pots de creme are about to become your new favorite treat. Rich, dark chocolate transforms into a luxuriously smooth custard, baked in individual ramekins for a perfect portion-controlled indulgence.
Looking for an easy chocolate pot de crème recipe?
These little pots of creamy chocolate heaven are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. Don’t be fooled by the fancy French name – pots de creme come together surprisingly simple. You won’t need any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients, just some chocolate, milk, eggs, and a little patience. Plus, they come in adorable individual ramekins or pots, making them perfect for portion control and special occasions like Valentine’s Day or a date night.
Pots de créme is like a cross between chocolate whiskey pudding and chocolate mousse pie. It’s rich and creamy with a silky smooth texture that melts over the tongue. And to top it all off, pots de creme are a fantastic make-ahead dessert. Whip up a batch earlier in the day, chill them in the fridge, and you’re good to go!
What Is Pots de Crème?
Pots de creme, pronounced “poh duh krem,” is a luxurious French dessert with a rich history. Literally translating to “pots of cream,” this rich chocolate dessert is exactly what it sounds like: a smooth and intensely flavored custard, traditionally made with chocolate, baked in individual serving dishes.
The origins of pots de creme can be traced back to 17th century France. Back then, it might have been served in pie crusts, but over time, the portion size shrunk and the crust was eliminated, evolving into the small pots we know today.
This classic French recipe has stood the test of time, becoming a beloved dessert for its simplicity and elegance. Served chilled and often dressed up with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or a fruity sauce, pots de creme offers a delightful way to indulge your sweet tooth. It’s the perfect size for a single serving, making it a great option for a special occasion or a satisfying end to a meal.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make Pots de Crème
How to Make Pots de Crème
- Place the chocolate in a blender. Whisk the milk, Irish cream, 1 cup heavy cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture ure is thick enough to coat the spatula and the mixture is almost boiling, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Immediately pour the milk mixture over the chocolate in a blender or food processor. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Pour the chocolate mixture among 6 ramekins evenly. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
- Whip the remaining ½ cup cream and the confectioners’ sugar with a mixer or in the blender until soft peaks form. Top the chilled pots de crème with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. This will help them incorporate better.
- High-quality chocolate is the heart and soul of pots de creme. Opt for bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate with at least 60% cacao content for the richest flavor. Avoid milk chocolate, as it will result in an overly sweet and less complex taste.
- Tempering the eggs helps prevent them from scrambling when combined with the hot chocolate mixture. This ensures your pots de creme have a silky smooth texture. There are different tempering methods, so find one that works best for you (a double boiler or gentle heating method are popular options).
- Allow your pots de creme to chill completely in the refrigerator before serving. This allows the custard to set properly and intensifies the chocolate flavor.
How to Store Leftovers
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Forget store-bought treats and impress everyone with your homemade pots de creme. They’re easier than you think, and the results are seriously delicious. Plus, they’re the perfect portion size for satisfying your sweet tooth without going overboard. If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment down below to help out the next reader!
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Irish Cream Chocolate Pots De Crème
from Food Network Magazine Aug/Sep 2009
Ingredients:
- 9 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup Irish cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/2 teas espresso powder
- 5 tbs granulated sugar
- 1/4 teas salt
- 1 tbs confectioners’ sugar
Preparation:
Place the chocolate in a blender. Whisk the milk, Irish cream, 1 cup heavy cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture ure is thick enough to coat the spatula and the mixture is almost boiling, 5 to 6 minutes.
Immediately pour the milk mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary. Pour the chocolate mixture among 6 ramekins evenly. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the confectioners’ sugar with a mixer or in the blender until soft peeks form. Top the chilled pots de crème with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
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Recipe FAQs
These look fabulous, Kita!!!! I think I’m a Pinterest snob, too 🙂
I tried to be practical about my pin but it looks like I’m too one of the “pin snobs”!!!
Now this cup of chocolate is what I should be pinning in my kitchen.
Sometimes I really want to shave my head.
This cup of chocolate needs to come to me!!
Pots de creme is on my list of things to make!!! Yours look fab.
Nailed it. 🙂
And I have officially unfollowed all fashion boards. My self esteem can’t handle it. Not until I can get dressed in the morning and still make it to lunchtime without somebody spilling something or wiping something on me.
Whoa, those look fantastic! I think I have the ingredients for this sitting in my apartment RIGHT NOW. DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!
Mmmmmmmmmmmm! I love pots de creme, and Irish cream sounds like the perfect touch. Glorious!
Haha cute post! I totally love the outfits on Pinterest too! I just need to go shopping and get all sorts of things that look like that hehe.
The chocolate looks amazing!
Sounds incredible, Kita!
One word: GORGEOUS! Ok, one more word: DELICIOUS!
I’ve been wanting to check this out since I saw it on fb this morning but didn’t have time then! Good grief you’re killing me. Please be my neighbor? 🙂
You have two choices. 1- Be my roommate. 2- Marry me. I will never be skinny if I keep eating like this and I want these in my face asap.
BTW if you ever end up with a bald head, I’ll shave my head with you and believe me you do NOT want to see that.
So…I just noticed that your category for this is “fat kid approved” HA HA!! I would definitely say so! Guess I’m a fat kid 🙂
Awesome!! I will take the whole batch!! FYI – your recipe says “While Milk”
I am ashamed to say I have never had a pot do creme 🙁
Oh.my. I need. Right now.
Um, hello! I would much rather eat this than salad! Yummy!
These look fantastic! I can’t tell you about hairdressers – I’ve been seeing the same one for a dozen years now!
I’m scared of pinning. And sub-par photography.
No chance of seeing that here! BAM! These pics are hot.
I am convinced that I need to buy some white mugs to bake in. Those look SO cool.
Kita, I love these pots de creme – I’ve seen them crop up on a number of blogs, but they’ve never looked quite this decadent or delicious =) I have featured this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup. Let me know if you have any objections and thanks as ever for the inspiration…
Such gorgeous photos, Kita! Those pots de creme sound amazing.
Found gray, going to get colored, maybe shaving head would be an option! 🙂
Oh yum I think I’m in love. These look sooooo good. 🙂 And your photos are once again so beautiful!
I need to pin more clothes – I like the idea of picking out outfits from Pinterest. That would make getting ready in the morning so much easier and I’m sure I’d end up looking better.
Also, these pots de creme look divine!
Amen sister! Loving the Pinterest, and it is probably contributing to my carpal tunnel. It certainly doesn’t help my recovering sprained finger. Can’t say I’m a super snobby pinner, but I do like the nice pics. And I agree about the hair. Every stylist seems to have a different opinion, and everybody wants to sell you a new product that is “the ultimate.” But it’s never the ultimate, is it? I think your pots de creme are the solution to all of our problems. So, thanks. 😉
I like anything ‘Irish’.
When we run out of milk we have irish coffees. Maybe on work days… maybe not…
These are just charming. A definite feel good food recipe. Nom!
Seriously? I had no plans to make desert tonight, but now I must!
I am also clear that I can not pull off the Sinead look, which is why I stick with one stylist who I know won’t fry or shear my baby fine hair.
True story, I tried to make a Pots-de-Creme at the cafe, and failed miserably. So I say, I need to try again, and with this lovely recipe! I love love your photos by the way, just gorgeous! Hugs, Terra
Oooh. I would like a few of these! Yum!