My Chocolate Pot de Crème is a decadent no bake chocolate dessert that’s quick and easy to make, and guaranteed to impress the people you love!
Chocolate pot de crème gets rave reviews
My chocolate pot de crème recipe is seriously easy, and seriously delish. In fact of all the fancy chocolate desserts out there (think chocolate soufflé, chocolate layer cake, or chocolate truffles) this is by far the simplest. It’s a rich chocolate dessert that’s made ahead and waits patiently in the fridge for date night, dinner guests, or just some indulgent ‘me‘ time.
pot de crème (pō də krem) Pot de crème is a French dessert that translates to “pot of cream” and dates back to the 17th century. It’s a velvety and smooth custard, baked and served in small pots or jars.
This recipe is no-bake! Traditional pot de crème is baked in a bain-marie or water bath. But guess what? This recipe is made in a fraction of the time because there’s no baking involved, and it results in the most decadent chocolate custard every time!
Let’s dig in:
Ingredients for chocolate pots de crème
The flavor in this recipe is perfect. I used vanilla along with a bit of instant espresso which helps to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- dark or bittersweet chocolate
- you want really good chocolate, so go with a reputable brand.
- egg yolks
- heavy cream
- salt
- vanilla extract
- instant espresso powder (optional)
- it gives the chocolate a richer more complex flavor.
Choosing the right chocolate for pot de crème
Chocolate is undeniably the star of this dessert, so it makes sense to choose wisely, but you have a lot of choices. Any type of chocolate will work in this recipe from white, to milk, to bittersweet. Bar chocolate tends to be the best quality, but you can definitely use good tasting chocolate chips if you like.
I used Ghirardelli 70% extra bittersweet chocolate, which produces an intensely rich but not too sweet pot de crème (I do not add any extra sugar to my custard.) You’ll need two 4-ounce bars for this recipe.
Pot de crème fun facts
National Pot de Crème Day is August 27th.
Pot de crème became so popular that by the 17th century, dedicated porcelain cups—also called pots de crème or petits pots (petite, or small, pots) were specially made to serve it.
Julia Child popularized pot de crème here in the US through her television shows and cookbooks.
The perfect topping for pot de crème
Whipped cream or chantilly cream, is the traditional topping for pot de crème and it works because, even though whipped cream is rich itself, it lightens and balances the even richer chocolate.
I love to whip cream in a mason jar ~ no need to haul out the electric beaters (see how to do it here.) Just pour about 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a small jar, add powdered sugar if you like, screw on the lid and shake vigorously until you no longer hear it sloshing around. Open it up and you’ll have perfectly whipped cream.
Garnish your whipped cream with chocolate shavings, a few berries, or crushed toasted hazelnuts.
How to serve chocolate pots de crème
Pot de crème is one of the richest desserts around, so it’s always served in very small portions ~ normal bowls are usually too large. A 4 ounce or 1/2 cup capacity is just about right.
Because this recipe is no-bake, you can use any type of jar, glass, or cup you like. I use these mini mold jars from the German company Weck. Here are some other choices:
- Custard cups or ramekins with straight sides
- Small wine glasses
- Espresso or demitasse cups
- Small half-cup mason jars
- Small cocktail glasses, especially vintage style
Variations on a chocolate pot de crème recipe
- White chocolate
- use finely chopped white chocolate and amp up the vanilla flavor with a vanilla bean or vanilla paste.
- Milk chocolate
- substitute milk chocolate for dark chocolate.
- Mexican chocolate
- use Mexican style chocolate and a hint of powdered chili for heat.
- Chocolate espresso
- use instant espresso powder and garnish your pots with chocolate covered coffee beans.
- Vegan chocolate
- use a vegan chocolate and full fat coconut milk or cream in place of dairy cream.
- Chocolate orange
- add a splash of orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) in the custard and/or the whipped cream, plus a garnish of orange zest.
- Spiked pot de crème
- I think a bit of liqueur would be wonderful in this recipe. Frangelico, Amaretto, Chambord, Cognac. So many to choose from; just add a tablespoon or so to the custard mixture, and/or the whipped cream topping.
Featured comment:
“This is literally one of my favorites to make for dessert. Tried raspberry liquor and orange flavored liquor in different ones. It was so yummy we ate them first, before we grilled our steaks!” ~ Mary
Chocolate Pot de Crème
Equipment
- medium heavy bottomed saucepan
- Pyrex quart measuring cup with spout (or similar)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semi sweet, dark, or bittersweet chocolate
- 4 large eggs yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp espresso powder or instant espresso, optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
garnish, optional
- whipped cream
- chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Finely chop the chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl or ideally a quart sized glass measuring cup or batter bowl with a spout. Note: make sure your chocolate is finely chopped/shredded. This helps it melt efficiently.
- In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan whisk the egg yolks and whisk in the heavy cream, salt (and the espresso powder if using.) Heat the mixture, whisking and then switching to a silicone spoonula, over medium heat until it just comes short of a boil. You want to pull it off the heat when you see the first sign of a simmer.
- Immediately pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Slowly stir the two together until you have a smooth glossy consistency and all the chocolate is melted. Stir in the vanilla.
- Immediately pour the mixture into 6 small vessels. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until they are chilled and firm. You can make these a day ahead if you like.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Notes
- After chopping the chocolate place it in a blender and set aside.
- Follow step 2 in the above recipe.
- Pour the custard mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover properly and blend just until smooth and glossy.
- Proceed with step 4 and 5 in the above recipe.
I would like to make this for a dinner party; but I am concerned about the safety of the egg yolks regarding possible salmonella. Does the procedure in this recipe cook the yolks enough to kill possible pathogens?
Yes, when cooked correctly the eggs are fully cooked. You bring the mixture on the stove to just short of a boil, and if you want to be sure you can use an instant read thermometer ~ it should read 170-175F. This is the same process for lots of egg thickened desserts like custards, ice cream bases, and puddings.
I love this recipe and have made it several times. But this last time it did not set up. I made it in the morning so it had more than 6 hours in the fridge. Not sure what happened. But it still tasted amazing. Will try again.
Anyone tried using “Plant” cream?
I think that should work fine Barbara.
Hi Sue! This looks wonderful! Can they be frozen?
Thanks for another great recipe!
Yes, you can. I haven’t done it myself but it should freeze fine. Wrap it well (double wrap) and use within 3 months.
What’s the purpose of the egg yolks? Can they be left out? New cook here. I’m just learning. Thank you!
Egg yolks are standard in custard recipes, they help thicken the mixture, add richness, and help with emulsification so the texture is smooth and silky. Egg yolks are definitely one of the defining ingredients in any custard.
Is it ok to leave out the coffee? Is there a substitute you’d recommend?
Yes, you can leave it out. You could double down on the vanilla, or even add a liqueur you like.
I made these for a tea party themed bridal shower. I garnished with fresh whipped cream, fresh raspberries and a few pieces of edible gold leaf. They were elegant, delicious and a huge hit! Looking forward to playing with liquor for a different spin