Chocolate Pots de Creme

Pots de creme is one of those desserts I've wanted to try for awhile, since I first saw it in one of my Real Simple cookbooks and realized it's pretty much just chocolate custard with a fancy French name. (Pronounced "po duh cream," if you were wondering...which kind of makes me snicker, because in German "Po" is slang for your bottom.) I'm basically sold on any kind of chocolate pudding/custard, as well as anything that comes in a small ramekin. Maybe it's the idea that I have the whole thing all to myself. Or it could be partly the cuteness factor. (Amplified if you serve it in individual teacups--it looks like solidified hot chocolate.) Anyway, it appealed to me big time.

Fortunately, the end result of this dessert lived up to the hype I had built up for it in my mind. Thick, creamy, rich, and chocolatey to the moon and back. I've served it to guests twice, after realizing that the 2-hour cooling time makes it a great make-ahead company dessert. Now I'm dreaming of (and Googling) other types of pots de creme...honey, vanilla, lemon, butterscotch, and combinations thereof. Which one do you think I should make next?

Chocolate Pots de Creme
(Adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients:

9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used two 4-oz. semisweet baking bars and 3 Tbsp. chocolate chips)
1 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. whole milk*
6 large egg yolks
5 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

Whipped cream, for garnish

*If you have 2% milk instead of whole, you can substitute 1 c. 2% milk plus 1/2 c. heavy cream.

Directions:

1. Place chopped chocolate in a blender. Set out 8 ramekins, tea cups, Mason jars or other 6-8 oz. small containers.

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cream, milk, egg yolks, sugar, and salt over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is almost boiling and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes.

3. Immediately pour cream mixture over chocolate in the blender. Cover and hold the lid with a thick kitchen towel (insurance against chocolate redecorating your kitchen); blend until combined and smooth.

4. Pour the chocolate mixture into ramekins and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.

Serves 8.