These delicious dark chocolate pots de crème are so easy to make. This baked chocolate dessert is creamy and decadent, topped with lightly-sweetened whipped cream. Find out how to make them.
Pots de crème should be your go-to dessert when you need a make-ahead dessert that is easy, gluten-free, and that everybody enjoys! Here’s how to make baked pots de crème with dark chocolate.
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Ingredients
Pots de crème are made with simple ingredients and you may have already everything you need in your fridge and pantry! Here’s what you need:
- dairy—I used a combination of whipping cream (35 % fat) and whole milk (3.25 % fat) to create a decadent chocolate dessert
- eggs—you can make pots de crème with whole eggs or egg yolks. I prefer to use large egg yolks, yielding a more decadent chocolate custard
- sugar—I used granulated sugar because it doesn't add taste that could interfere with the flavour of the chocolate
- dark chocolate—I used Ocoa, a 70 % dark chocolate from the brand Cacao Barry
- garnish—I like to decorate these with whipped cream and grated chocolate, but you can serve them plain.
Please see the recipe card for the ingredients and exact quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Nutty: You can make these with hazelnut butter, peanut butter, or even sesame butter (tahini) or almond butter, mixing 30 mL (2 tbsp) into the chocolate base. I tested this recipe with tahini and it was delicious!
- Non-dairy pots de crème: I have tested this recipe with coconut milk in place of the cream and milk. You want to end up with around 10–15 % fat if possible (whether using dairy or non-dairy substitutes).
- Chocolate: Use good quality dark chocolate, but this recipe will also work with milk or white chocolate.
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar so the flavour won't interfere, but you could also consider something like coconut sugar
- Garnishes: I love to serve pots de crème topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream and grated chocolate. If making these with a nut butter, consider garnishing with chopped toasted nuts (or sesame seeds) that match the nut butter (or seed butter) you used!
How to Make Pots de Crème
There are two ways of making chocolate pots de crème:
- Cooked on the stove: making a crème anglaise (custard sauce) cooked on the stove to thicken it, then melting the chopped chocolate in the custard sauce before transferring to jars to chill.
- Baked in the oven: essentially making a chocolate ganash with the hot cream and chopped chocolate, then adding the egg yolks before transferring to ramekins to bake the pots de crème in a bain-marie in the oven.
For this recipe, we will be using the baked method. If you'd prefer the stovetop method, follow the method outlined in this milk chocolate pots de crème recipe.
Step 1: Start by combining the cream, milk, and sugar (image 1). Heat it on the stove until it's almost boiling (95 °C or 203 °F) while you chop the chocolate (image 2), then pour it over the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl (image 3). You can use an immersion blender to help smooth out the ganache (image 4).
Step 2: Add the egg yolks (image 5) and mix them in before straining the mixture to remove any lumps (image 6). Divide the chocolate custard between six ramekins in a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) Pyrex baking dish (image 7), then add boiling water until it reaches halfway up the ramekins (image 8).
Step 3: If air bubbles or foam forms on top of the chocolate custard pots (image 9), use a blow torch to pop the bubbles by quickly and swiftly passing the flame over the surface of each (image 10).
Step 11: Evenly space the ramekins in the bain-marie to ensure that they have water between them (image 11) and bake until jiggly but set (image 12). Let them cool then chill them in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight before serving cold.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve pots de crème plain, but lightly sweetened whipped cream makes a great garnish. It's especially lovely with dark chocolate pots de crème, which balances out the deep chocolate flavour of the custard.
I also like to serve pots de crème with a little dry cookie or biscuit on the side (like graham crackers, shortbread cookies, or a plain cutout sugar cookie). These jam-filled shortbread cookies would pair nicely with this chocolate dessert too.
Other Pots de Crème to Try
If you enjoy pots de crème, try them with other types of chocolate to make white chocolate pots de crème or milk chocolate pots de crème.
If you tried this recipe for dark chocolate pots de crème (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Dark Chocolate Pots de Crème
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 mL whipping cream (35 % fat)
- 250 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
- 6 large egg yolk(s)
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 175 grams dark chocolate (70 % cocoa content) chopped
- sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165 °C).
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and sugar, heating it up almost to a boil (95 °C or 202 °F).
- Chop the chocolate and place it in a large heatproof bowl.
- When the milk mixture is steamy, pour the hot milk over the chocolate. Let it sit 1 minute, then whisk it slowly until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. You can use an immersion blender to smooth it out. then pour this mixture over the whisked egg mixture to temper them.
- Add the egg yolks and mix them in until the chocolate custard is smooth.
- Strain the mixture into a large, 4-cup (1 L) measuring cup or a bowl with a spout preferably. Then divide the chocolate custard between 6 ramekins.
- Place the ramekins in a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) pan and fill the pan with hot water so that it reaches at least halfway up the ramekins.
- Bake the custards for 40 minutes or until the centers are completely set. Cool to room temperature, then chill before serving.
- Serve plain or topped with sweetened whipped cream with a little grated chocolate or a few berries.
Notes
- For the dar chocolate, I used Cacao Barry Ocoa 70 % dark chocolate.
- If you notice air bubbles on the surface of the chocolate custard in the ramekins before baking, use a blow torch to pop them. Pass the flame over the surface of each to quickly pop them before baking.
- Variations:
- Nutty: You can make these with hazelnut butter, peanut butter, or even sesame butter (tahini) or almond butter, mixing 30 mL (2 tbsp) into the chocolate base.
- Non-dairy pots de crème: I have tested this recipe with coconut milk in place of the cream and milk. You want to end up with around 10–15 % fat if possible (whether using dairy or non-dairy substitutes).
- Chocolate: Use good quality dark chocolate, but this recipe will also work with milk or white chocolate.
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar so the flavour won't interfere, but you could also consider something like coconut sugar.
- Garnishes: I love to serve pots de crème topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream and grated chocolate. If making these with a nut butter, consider garnishing with chopped toasted nuts (or sesame seeds) that match the nut butter (or seed butter) you used!
Medeja says
This dessert should heal all the doubts.
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Melissa@EyesBigger says
I too went out on my own with nobody but me to pay my bills and it's terrifying. But the flips side is, you don't have kids or anyone but you to support. It's scary no matter what. It's good to think and plan (and very necessary) but at some point you have to have faith in the unknown and leap. Things have a way of falling where they need to.