This classic French dessert gets a bit of a twist from the addition of espresso powder which intensifies the chocolate flavor in this creamy, decadent dessert!
This recipe was inspired by a dessert I had at The Girl & the Goat, one of Stephanie Izard's Chicago restaurants. The original was a bit fancier, featuring an amazing sesame foam topping.
When recreating a recipe for the blog, I try to make sure it's something just about anyone could make at home and I figured sesame foam might be a little over the top for most of us, including me!
Even if you're not a coffee lover, once you try it you'll embrace the idea of adding espresso powder to chocolate desserts because espresso really enhances the flavor of chocolate and adds a depth that you simply can't get from chocolate alone.
Notes from the Kitchen
Pot de Cremè is a lightly set, baked custard with origins in France. It's a dessert that many people don't make at home because they think it's complicated but it's really not. A couple of key tips will help ensure your custard comes out perfectly!
- Keep the heat low when boiling the milk. Medium low is generally the sweet spot to make sure it doesn't burn.
- While you want to whisk the milk mixture well don't be too vigorous. Too much air in the mixture will result in a less than smooth custard.
- Make sure all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth before you move on to the next step. This is one dessert where you don't want chunks of chocolate.
- Make sure the water for the water bath is very warm when you add it to the baking pan. Think very hot tap water! This helps to keep the custard at a consistent temperature while moving from your stovetop to your oven.
- If you are into baking, I'd definitely grab some Espresso Powder to add to your pantry staples. You can use it in any chocolate dessert, including chocolate chip cookies and frosting! It really does make a difference when it comes to bringing out the flavor of chocolate.
How to Make Pot de Cremè
This relatively easy dessert comes together in about 45 minutes, but only 15 minutes of that is prep time!
- Heat the milk: Combine the milk and cream in a small saucepan then whisk in the espresso powder.
- Whisk the eggs: Add the eggs and sugar to a small bowl and whisk together.
- Melt the chocolate: Remove the milk mixture from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until all of the chocolate is melted.
- Temper the eggs: To keep the eggs from curdling in the hot chocolate mixture, add a small amount of it to the egg mixture bowl and whisk well. Then pour the mixture into the pan of chocolate and whisk until smooth.
- Fill the ramekins: Pour the custard mixture into 3 or 4 ramekins.
- Bake: Carefully put the baking pan into the preheated oven and bake the pot de cremes for 30 minutes or until the centers are set.
- Chill: After the pot de cremes cool for about 20 minutes, put them in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to chill and fully set.
This is the perfect dessert for date night or any special occasion!
Serving Suggestions
If you want make this as part of a simple date night dinner, I'd serve it with these Air Fryer Crab Cakes.
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Dark Chocolate Espresso Pot de Creme
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Whipped cream, shaved chocolate and sea salt flakes for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a small saucepan combine the milk and cream. Whisk in the espresso powder until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Small bubbles will start to form at the edges of the pan.
- While the milk mixture is cooking, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a small bowl.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add a small amount of the chocolate mixture to the eggs. Whisk until combined. Add the egg mixture to the remaining chocolate mixture in the pan. Whisk well.
- Divide the mixture between 3 or 4 oven-safe ramekins. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking dish and fill the baking dish with very warm water until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to splash water into the chocolate.
- Carefully place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the middle. Remove from oven and let them cool for 5 minutes.
- Refrigerate the custards for at least three hours before serving. Top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate and sea salt to serve.
Carol Borchardt
This dessert is what I call perfection in a dessert! Coffee and chocolate together--especially dark chocolate! Pinned too as this would be a great make-ahead dessert for guests.
M
I've had this recipe bookmarked for years now and I finally made it last night for our NYE dinner! It was delicious. My tiny oops was that I didn't have espresso powder and used finely ground espresso beans instead which did make it slightly grainy LOL. But it tasted great anyway! Fairly easy to make and extremely decadent, thanks for this hit 🙂