We served this dessert at our wedding ceremony over 4 years in the past, and it’s excessive time to share the recipe with you! Our household has been calling this recipe “chocolate mousse” for years however it’s a lot nearer to a French recipe known as pots de crème, which interprets to jars of cream.
These chocolate pots de crème are luscious, creamy, wealthy, and decadent. They’re such enjoyable desserts to supply at a celebration in particular person servings. A bit of goes a good distance, and that’s why I like them. I’d quite have a small portion of unimaginable dessert than a big portion of so-so dessert.
This miniature dessert comes from my husband’s Nice-Aunt Betty. I ponder what number of instances Betty has whipped up this recipe in her vibrant 97 years. My husband’s mother makes them now, and also you’re virtually assured to search out these little treats of their freezer at any given time. We have been thrilled when our wedding ceremony bakery agreed to make the household recipe to serve alongside our wedding ceremony cake!
This foolproof recipe comes collectively rapidly within the blender—no baking, no straining, no fussing. Mix it up and chill it (you may even freeze these cups for the months forward). I hope this recipe turns into one in every of your loved ones traditions, too.
Pots de Crème Elements
Chocolate Chips
Chocolate chips make this recipe tremendous simple. I favor darker chocolate, so I like semi-sweet chocolate chips or darker. In the event you favor milk chocolate, select milk chocolate chips. You probably have chocolate bars, you may chop them for this recipe.
Heavy Cream
Betty’s authentic recipe requires heavy cream. I haven’t tried half-and-half or something lighter, however heavy cream will definitely yield the richest, thickest, creamiest texture. It’s decadent, and that’s how we prefer it!
Sugar
Betty makes use of good old school sugar, and it produces ideally suited outcomes. You already know I attempt to use pure sweeteners like honey when potential, however I don’t advocate them for this recipe. They may dominate the flavour and intrude with the combination setting.
Liqueur
A splash of liqueur provides refined, complicated taste—it’s why these pots de crème style so fascinating. You’ve gotten choices.
Betty likes crème de cocao finest, which is a candy chocolate liqueur (it’s also possible to use it to make chocolate martinis or grasshopper cocktails). My favourite frequent liqueur is Kahlua, for a light-weight espresso undertone that ramps up the chocolate taste (it’s also possible to use Kahlua to make White Russians). Amaretto tastes like almonds, which is scrumptious! For a minty deal with, strive crème de menthe quite than peppermint schnapps.
You would possibly discover one other good choice in your liquor cupboard, however undoubtedly select a decrease ABV liqueur quite than a full-strength liquor. For instance, I attempted bourbon, however it dominated the flavour and the robust style of alcohol was disagreeable.
Searching for an alcohol-free choice? Exchange it with extra orange juice.
Orange Juice
Orange juice is the second secret ingredient that makes this recipe style so particular! You’ll simply want two tablespoons. I don’t normally purchase orange juice, so I simply purchase an orange and squeeze what I want.
Eggs and Egg Yolks
This recipe makes use of two eggs plus two egg yolks for richness and quantity. You’ll have two additional egg whites, which you’ll preserve within the fridge for a day or two and add to your subsequent batch of scrambled eggs.
This recipe makes use of uncooked eggs, which has by no means triggered our household hurt, however there’s all the time a slight threat of salmonella poisoning with uncooked eggs (one in 20,000). To mitigate this threat, you should buy pasteurized eggs on the retailer, or pasteurize your personal eggs earlier than making this recipe. Right here’s the CDC’s data on egg security.
Vanilla Extract
Lastly, a splash of vanilla extract lends extra complexity to this wealthy chocolate dessert. Vanilla and chocolate have been made for every one other.
Watch The way to Make Pots de Crème
Serving Cup & Spoon Options
Select small glasses with some additional room inside (about 2 to 4 ounces every), must you select so as to add toppings. I used Crate and Barrel’s Bitty Chew brief glasses for these photographs. Extra inexpensive choices embrace disposable plastic cups (you’ll have a lot for a number of batches) or reusable glass shot glasses.
You’ll doubtless must serve these mini cups with mini spoons, also called espresso spoons or demitasse spoons. Right here’s a cheap set of twelve stainless-steel spoons. For these photographs, I used spoons like these.
Refrigerated vs. Frozen
Each choices are completely scrumptious. These photographs present the refrigerated texture, which is a shiny, thick mousse that holds its form. As proven, these cups have been refrigerated for the minimal time of 1 hour, however they agency up a bit extra in one other hour or two.
The frozen choice is particularly nice as a result of the cups will preserve for as much as three months. Internet hosting an impromptu get-together? Dessert is able to go! I would truly favor the frozen texture, which is dense, agency and clearly colder. My mother-in-law says it’s simpler so as to add toppings when the cups are chilly from the freezer.
To freeze, merely place the portioned cups right into a freezer-safe carton with a lid (that is simpler and extra protecting than protecting them individually with plastic wrap). Let the cups thaw briefly on the countertop or within the fridge when you eat dinner. The size of time will rely in your serving measurement, however it shouldn’t take longer than 15 to half-hour.
Topping Options
These pots de crème don’t want toppings, however it’s enjoyable to decorate them up! Usually talking, they’re pretty with tiny sprigs of mint, raspberries, whipped cream, shaved chocolate, candied orange, or a number of enjoyable sprinkles. Listed here are a number of vacation options:
- For Christmas, strive crushed sweet canes, holly sprinkles or snowflake sprinkles, or tiny sprigs of mint with or with out raspberries.
- For Valentine’s Day, do raspberries or a number of pink coronary heart sprinkles.
- For Easter, strive a candy-coated almond or miniature chocolate egg sweet.
- For the Fourth of July, strive whipped cream with a raspberry and blueberry.
Extra Chocolate Treats to Get pleasure from
Craving extra chocolate? Me, too—all the time. Listed here are a number of less difficult chocolate recipes on the weblog.
Please let me know the way Betty’s recipe seems for you within the feedback! I like listening to from you.
Betty’s Pots de Crème
- Writer:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 5 minutes
- Complete Time: 25 minutes (plus 1-hour chill time)
- Yield: 18 servings 1x
- Class: Dessert
- Technique: Blended
- Delicacies: French
- Eating regimen: Vegetarian
This foolproof pots de crème recipe comes collectively rapidly within the blender and tastes wonderful. Make it for dessert, and freeze the additional! Yields 36 ounces, sufficient for anyplace between 36 tiny 1-ounce servings and 9 beneficiant 4-ounce servings.
Scale
Elements
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- 16 ounces heavy cream
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- ¼ cup Kahlua or Crème de Cocao or Amaretto or orange juice
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Directions
- In a blender, mix the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar. Pour within the cream. Securely connect the lid and mix for 30 seconds, till the combination is uniformly pale yellow.
- Subsequent, soften the chocolate, Kahlua and orange juice in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low warmth, stirring each minute or two. As soon as the chocolate chips are about 90% melted, about 4 to six minutes, take away the pan from the warmth and stir till the combination is silky clean.
- Add the melted chocolate to the blender. Mix on excessive pace till clean, about 1 minute, scraping down the perimeters midway by way of.
- Divide the combination evenly between small glasses or small ramekins/serving bowls. Both place the servings in a container with a lid or cowl the tops with plastic wrap. Refrigerate till serving time (not less than 1 hour, ideally 2+) or freeze for later. Refrigerated mousse will preserve nicely for as much as 5 days; frozen mousse will preserve nicely for as much as 3 months (enable the mousse to relaxation for not less than quarter-hour at room temperature earlier than serving).
Notes
*Chocolate observe: Select your chocolate chips primarily based in your most popular degree of chocolate depth. I like darker chocolate and loved these cups made with 54% cacao content material semi-sweet chocolate chips (Complete Meals 365 model).
Make it alcohol-free: Exchange the liqueur with extra orange juice.
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