Chocolate Pots de Crème with Silky Baked Custard

Pots de crème are small baked custards with a texture between pudding and a very soft ganache. Gentle heat is the difference between a silky spoonful and a grainy custard. The recipe uses a water bath to moderate the oven’s heat, and the eggs are tempered so they thicken the chocolate base without scrambling.

Temper slowly and strain

Warm the dairy until steaming but not boiling. Whisk the egg mixture continuously while adding the hot dairy in a thin stream; this gradually raises the egg temperature. If the warm liquid is poured in all at once, small curds can form. Strain the custard before filling the ramekins to catch any bits and help the finished texture stay smooth.

Set the ramekins in a baking dish and pour hot water around them carefully, keeping water below their rims. Bake until the edges look set and the centers still wobble gently when nudged; they will firm further as they cool. Avoid waiting for the center to look completely solid in the oven, which can overcook the custard.

Chill before serving

Cool the ramekins, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly cold. A small spoonful of lightly whipped cream or a few berries are enough on top. For a sliceable chocolate dessert with a crumb, see the easy chocolate cake. These custards can be made ahead, which makes them useful when the oven and kitchen are already busy.

Vagner Carvalho

Chocolate Pots de Creme with a Smooth Baked Custard

Chocolate pots de creme are small baked custards with a richer texture than pudding and no caramel shell. Finely chopped chocolate melts into warm dairy, then a gentle water bath protects the egg yolks from direct heat.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Cooling and refrigeration 5 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Servings: 6 portions

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French-inspired

Calories: 390

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 6 oz (170 g) dark chocolate, 60–70% cocoa, finely chopped
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• Hot water for the baking water bath

Equipment

• Six 6 oz oven-safe ramekins, roasting pan, saucepan, sieve and thermometer

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 325°F (160°C). Arrange six 6 oz oven-safe ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Heat a kettle of water. Put chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
2. Warm cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat just until steaming with small bubbles at the edge; do not boil vigorously. Pour over chocolate, stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
3. Whisk yolks, sugar and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup warm chocolate mixture, then gradually add the rest. Stir in vanilla and pass through a fine sieve into a jug. Skim surface foam for a smoother top.
4. Divide custard among ramekins, leaving space below the rims. Put the roasting pan on the oven rack and carefully pour hot water around the ramekins to halfway up their sides, without splashing custard. Cover the pan loosely with foil.
5. Bake 30–40 minutes. The edges should be set and the centers should wobble gently as a unit, not ripple like liquid. Check a center with a thermometer: aim for 170–175°F (77–80°C). Remove sooner rather than letting the custards puff or boil.
6. Use tongs and an oven mitt to lift ramekins from the bath onto a rack. Cool about 45–60 minutes, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve cold in the ramekins. The 5-hour resting allowance includes cooling and chilling.

Notes

Times are planning estimates; use the listed doneness cues. Nutrition is an approximate ingredient-based estimate for one ramekin, without toppings.