Preparing meals is hard enough in the heat of the summer, making a complicated dessert is just out of the question. I probably shouldn’t have styled this ridiculously quick and easy Dark Chocolate Pot de Creme in such elegant glasses, you might get the wrong idea. This dessert is seriously easy, with a prep time of under 5 minutes. And the big surprise is that it’s just as wonderful, thick and rich as any ‘pot’ I’ve ever had, without the trouble of cooking a custard on the stove, or setting up a water bath for the oven. I started out with a simple chocolate version, but this idea has legs, I’ll be revisiting it a lot, I have a feeling.
Pot de Creme is one of the richest desserts around, so it’s always served in small portions. It gave me an excuse to gather together some of the mis-matched glasses I’ve collected from thrift shops. In ‘the old days’ people ate less food and ate it in smaller portions. You can tell that just by the size of the serving ware. Normally I don’t have much use for these delicate glasses, but for pot de creme, they’re just perfect. I even have a couple of teensy aperitif glasses for those annoying people, there are always one or two in every crowd, who ‘just want a bite’ of whatever’s for dessert.
Pot de Creme is a rich dessert but it’s also a cost effective one. One cup of dark chocolate chips, 2 eggs, and one cup of heavy cream makes enough for 8. Take a quick walk around the block and I guarantee you’ll find some small blossoms for garnish.
No need to haul out the beaters for the topping, just pour 1/4 cup in a small jar, screw on the lid and shake for about 30 seconds, or until you no longer hear it sloshing around. Open it up and you’ll have perfectly whipped cream. The pot de creme is so rich I don’t even sweeten the cream.
This got rave reviews from all of us. The texture is perfect. The flavor is perfect. I used vanilla, but I think a bit of liqueur would be great. Frangelico, Amaretto, Chambord, Cognac. So many to choose from.
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup dark chocolate (or bittersweet) chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp espresso powder or instant espresso
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- small blossoms
Instructions
- Put the chocolate, the eggs, and the vanilla in a blender. Blend briefly to break down the chocolate.
- Heat the heavy cream and espresso powder in a small saucepan on the stove until it just comes to a boil While the blender is running, pour the hot cream in a steady stream into the hole in the top of the blender. The mixture will become thick and creamy. Let the blender run until everything is smooth.
- Pour the chocolate into small vessels and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or longer if you like.
- When ready to serve, whip the 1/4 cup cream and top each serving with a dollop and a few small colorful blossoms.
Notes
I think that the heat of the cream heats the eggs to a safe temperature, but if you are worried, use pasteurized eggs, you can find them with the regular eggs in your supermarket. To bring cold eggs to room temperature, set them in a bowl of warm water. Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Blender Pot de Creme. Who knew? It’s a revelation. I can’t imagine ever making it any other way.
26 Comments
Sherry
November 12, 2016 at 9:30 pmEvery Christmas for many years, I make these chocolate pots de creme, they bake in a water bath in the oven. I make 4 sets of 4 and pour them into ramekins. It’s a lot of work! So I made your recipe to see how it compares, and wow, these were fudgy delicious! I used bittersweet chocolate and poured mine into ramekins as I do at Christmas, so the recipe only made 4. I think this recipe is denser than mine, but just as fantastic! My brother makes a peppermint whipped cream with peppermint candies, and its really great for Christmas. Thanks for this MUCH easier/faster recipe!
Sue
November 13, 2016 at 8:23 amOh gosh, I’m going to have to make that peppermint whipped cream, Sherry, that sounds so good. I’m really happy you liked this recipe, it does make things so much easier :)
Ellen
July 13, 2016 at 5:51 pmI tried this with milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate, but followed the rest of the recipe. Unfortunately, it did not set. Could the different type of chocolate cause this? Any other ideas? :(
Sue
July 15, 2016 at 7:29 amI’m not sure what could have happened Ellen, I haven’t tried it with milk chocolate. It can be somewhat of a soft set, but it should definitely set.
Michael
July 29, 2014 at 6:19 pmHoly freakin’ moly!!! This is OUTSTANDING. I normally do a chocolate mousse. No longer. This is absolutely decadent. Red raspberries or blueberries with the whipped cream and you’ve hit a home run. Best ever.
Sue
July 29, 2014 at 7:33 pmThanks Michael — I couldn’t have said it better myself :)
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
July 17, 2014 at 5:10 pmThese are so pretty. It almost looks like mousse – and I bet it tastes wonderful. Love a good chocolate dessert.
Kate
July 17, 2014 at 3:34 pmI was thinking back to the PW recipe and vaguely remembered hot coffee so i looked up her recipe that you adapted with heavy cream instead. I assume the heavy cream is much richer. Have you tried the hot coffee version? Any thoughts on adding a smidge of hot coffee with the rest heavy cream? I know my diva “Ina” loves a bit of coffee in her chocolate. Just wondering if you had a preference or went straight for the luxurious heavy cream?
Sasha Stubblefield
July 17, 2014 at 12:52 pmGoing to make this for an upcoming dinner party! Can you tell me (approximately) how much this recipe yields??? Thx!
Sue
July 17, 2014 at 1:00 pmThe best I can tell you is that it serves 8 smallish portions. I didn’t measure it out when I was finished. You could definitely double the recipe.
Sasha Stubblefield
July 17, 2014 at 1:11 pmGot it…thanks!
Kitchen Belleicious
July 17, 2014 at 12:05 pmthe blender? NO way! I can’t believe it- it looks divine
Kathy
July 17, 2014 at 7:08 amNot only does the Chocolate Pot de creme look decadent and mouthwatering….your photos are gorgeous!
Sue
July 17, 2014 at 10:05 amThanks Kathy — it was fun to photograph, that deep dark chocolate is very photogenic ;)
Angie@Angie's Recipes
July 17, 2014 at 6:59 amSo gorgeous and delicious! Love simple yet elegant garnish.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
July 16, 2014 at 10:05 pmThese are so gorgeous and what a great tip about using the blender!
Sue
July 17, 2014 at 10:16 amI can’t tell you what fun it was to pour in the steaming hot milk and watch the whole thing come together!
Lilli @ Sugar and Cinnamon
July 16, 2014 at 8:40 pmWow these look so rich! This is probably my ultimate dessert <3
Christina
July 16, 2014 at 8:15 pmImpeccably dressed! Can imagine how delicious these are…a must try!
Glory/ Glorious Treats
July 16, 2014 at 7:48 pmThis looks amazing!! I love anything chocolate, and the styling you’ve done is beautiful as well!
Diane {Created by Diane}
July 16, 2014 at 6:15 pmI need to make this PRONTO, it looks fabulous!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
July 16, 2014 at 3:53 pmha i too just made a chocolate pot de creme! great minds think alike.. love it!
John@Kitchen Riffs
July 16, 2014 at 2:30 pmI love pot de creme, and haven’t had it for ages and ages. Yours looks terrific! And easy to make is always a good thing. Love the presentation — those glasses are wonderful. Thanks for this.
Sue
July 16, 2014 at 6:16 pmThanks John — I hadn’t had in a long time, either. I do remember ordering it in restaurants and being a bit disappointed in the small size! That’s another benefit of making it yourself, you can dole out the portions as you see fit!
Kate
July 16, 2014 at 9:35 amI saw the episode that PW did on this recipe and was intrigued. Thought it would be fun for our chocoholic granddaughter to make (she’s 6 1/2). Your presentation is beautiful elevating it to company status. Elegant!
Sue
July 16, 2014 at 6:14 pmThanks Kate! I think it would be super fun for kids to watch this being made.