Make Ahead

Decadent Chocolate Pot De Creme w/ Spiced Pear Syrup

by:
December 31, 2013
4.3
3 Ratings
Photo by clay williams
  • Makes 8 servings
Author Notes

My mother swore me to secrecy when she passed down the recipe to this divine yet deceptively simple to prepare dessert. "No one outside the family can know how easy it is to make these pot de cremes!" she declared... Well, I kept my word - until now... Sorry Mom, I had to share the recipe for this you're-going-to-die-and-go-to-chocolate-heaven dessert with the rest of the foodie world. 'Tis the season for sharing and it's just too good to keep to ourselves any longer.

Chocolate Pot De Creme prep time: 10 minutes
(Needs to cool in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours)
Spiced Pear Syrup prep time: 15 minutes + cooling time
(The spiced pear syrup can be replaced with any other topping of your choice: I switch things up and occasionally serve the dessert with a strawberry/raspberry coulis, a gingered caramel drizzle or with whipped cream & some finely chopped mint.)
Serve in small cappuccino cups, ramekins, or delicate liquor glasses. The dessert is very rich so a small individual dose goes a very long way.

hila katz

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Chocolate Pot De Creme
  • 1 cup heavy cream (do NOT use heavy whipping cream! The cremes will separate as they cool)
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 9 ounces good quality dark chocolate, 60%-70% cocoa, chopped
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup fine sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder (such as nestle)
  • 1 small pinches of salt
  • Spiced Pear Syrup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 ripe pear, preferably bartlett, peeled, cored, sliced.
  • 4 fairly thin round slices of fresh ginger
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 splash freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
  1. CHOCOLATE CREME - Place the chopped chocolate pieces, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, coffee powder and salt into a blender. Blend for a few seconds till the ingredients are combined and form a fudgy consistency. (This recipe only works with a blender, using a food processor will ruin the consistency of the cremes.)
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and milk over medium/high heat to the brink of boiling. Pour the hot cream and milk into the blender and blend until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is airy and smooth. ***Make sure to remove the small plastic bit in the center of the lid and cover the small opening with a towel instead. Since hot liquid expands in a blender it will pop the lid off and splatter everywhere if the hot air has no opening to escape out of.***
  3. Pour chocolate mix into espresso cups, ramekins or any other set of small vessels. Let cool slightly on the counter, uncovered. Once slightly cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving (preferably overnight). Keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days, can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
  4. SPICED PEAR SYRUP - in a small sauce pan, combine all the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium/high heat while stirring occasionally so that the sugar melts and doesn't burn at the bottom of the pan.
  5. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and keep the liquid bubbling while stirring occasionally until the syrup mix reduces and thickens - about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and pour VERY CAREFULLY through a sieve into a heat proof bowl. Let cool completely before serving. (I like to chop up the pear slices and serve on top of the chocolate pot de creme.)
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1 Review

hila K. December 31, 2013
Doh!!!! Forgot to state what seemed obvious to me - drizzle the spiced syrup on top of the chocolate pot de creme and serve! (I keep any remaining syrup in a squeeze bottle in the fridge, for use during the next time I prepare the dessert. It's also perfect on pancakes, ice cream and morning toast.)