Recipe :: Chocolate Pots de Creme

I would have to say that one of my absolute favorite parts of being in Paris is the food.  I could go on for days and days about the unparalleled deliciousness that is French food {in particular the cheese and pastries}.  But, while their food is always elegant and delicious, it is often quite labor-intensive and challenging to reproduce at home.  I bought my mom the Ladurée Cookbook for Mothers Day last year, and although the recipes were incredible and photographed beautifully, many gave me a slight panic attack just reading {often including at least seven different elements that needed to be prepared separately, for one recipe}.  But have no fear, today I will be sharing with you the recipe for one of my absolute favorite French desserts - Chocolate Pots de Creme.  Other than chopping the chocolate {bonus points if you use chips, chunks, or wafers} and allowing time for the custard to set, it quite honestly takes less than ten minutes to prepare this decadent dessert.  Made of essentially chocolate, cream, and egg yolks...it doesn't even pretend to be healthy, but it is truly a perfect treat for a special occasion {do I hear Valentine's Day anyone?}

Chocolate Pots de Creme {recipe via Food Network} 

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

9 ounces high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped {keep a little aside to sprinkle on the whipped cream before serving}

1 1/2 cups whole milk 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

6 large egg yolks

5 tablespoons granulated sugar {add an extra tablespoon if using bitter chocolate}

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS 

Place the chocolate in a blender. Whisk the milk, 1 cup cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula and almost boiling, 5 to 6 minutes.

Immediately pour the milk mixture over the chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel; blend until combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Divide the chocolate mixture among ramekins or small cups and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Whip the remaining 1/2 cup cream and the confectioners' sugar with a mixer or in the blender until soft peaks form. Top the chilled pots de creme with whipped cream.  Bon appetit!