Chocolate And Butterscotch Pots De CrÈme Recipes

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• 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.

CLASSIC FRENCH CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 325F(160C) with a rack in the middle.
• Step 2 - In a medium saucepan, slowly warm up the heavy cream with the chopped chocolate over medium-low heat. Do not bring up to a boil - just warm up enough to melt the chocolate. Stir occasionally and remove from the heat when the chocolate is melted.
• Step 3 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt together for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Pour 2 tablespoons of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture and whisk (this tempers the egg yolks so they don't curdle later). Slowly stir in the rest of the hot cream while continuously whisking.
• Step 4 - Fill 6 small [120ml - ½ cup] pots or ramekins with the chocolate cream. Place the pots into a large baking dish and fill this dish with hot water ¾ up the sides of the pots.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and carefully remove the ramekins from the baking dish. Let cool completely to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating.
• Chill for at least 3 hours before enjoying. For serving, top each pot with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

BUTTERSCOTCH POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Set 8 small (6- to 8-oz) ramekins, cups or coffee cups in a small roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter, sugar and salt. Whisking often, cook until the sugar begins to caramelize, darkening in color and smelling nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully and slowly whisk in the half-and-half. The caramel will seize at first, melting back into the mixture once all the liquid is added. Stirring often, bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
• Whisk a small amount of the hot liquid into the yolks to warm them and then gradually whisk in the remainder. Set a fine mesh sieve over a large heatproof measuring cup. Pour the custard through the sieve. Divide the custard evenly among the ramekins.
• Slide out the oven rack and place the roasting pan on the rack. Carefully fill the roasting pan with boiling water halfway up the ramekins, taking care not to splash any water into the custards. Slide the rack back into place. Bake until the custards are just set but still jiggle when tapped and a thin knife inserted into the center of one of the custards comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size, depth, and thickness of the ramekins (use the "jiggle test" and knife tester as your clues for doneness.) Let the custards cool out of the roasting pan for 5 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 3 to 4 hours.
• To serve, top each pot de crème with a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, and a smattering of flaky sea salt.

BUTTERSCOTCH POTS DE CRèME

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.
• Bring cream, muscovado sugar, and salt just to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring water and Demerara sugar to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add cream mixture (mixture will bubble up and steam), whisking until combined.
• Whisk together yolks and vanilla in a large bowl, then add hot cream mixture in a stream, whisking. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure. Skim off any foam with a spoon.
• Divide custard among ramekins. Arrange ramekins in a small roasting pan and bake in a hot water bath , uncovered, until custards are set around edges but still tremble slightly in centers, about 40 minutes. Transfer ramekins to a rack with tongs and cool to warm or room temperature. Pots de crème will continue to set as they cool.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and Dean & DeLuca (800-999-0306).

BUTTERSCOTCH POTS DE CREME

Steps:

• Use 6 (4-oz) ramekins Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.
• Bring cream, muscovado sugar, and salt just to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring water and Demerara sugar to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and carefully add cream mixture (mixture will bubble up and steam), whisking until combined.
• Whisk together yolks and vanilla in a large bowl, then add hot cream mixture in a stream, whisking.
• Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart glass measure.
• Skim off any foam with a spoon.
• Divide custard among ramekins.
• Arrange ramekins in a small roasting pan and bake in a hot water bath, uncovered, until custards are set around edges but still tremble slightly in centers, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer ramekins to a rack with tongs and cool to warm or room temperature.
• Pots de crème will continue to set as they cool.
• Custard can be made, but not baked, 1 day ahead and chilled, covered, in the glass measure or a non-reactive container.

SPICY CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME WITH BLOODY BUTTERSCOTCH

Steps:

• For the pots de creme: Preheat the oven to 280 degrees F. In a medium pot set over high heat, scald the cream and milk; the mixture should be just about to boil, then remove from the heat. Whisk the sugar and yolks in a bowl until light and frothy, 1 minute. Temper the yolks by pouring some of the hot cream over the yolks slowly and whisking vigorously. Then pour the yolk mixture into the cream and do not return to the stovetop. Add the rum, vanilla and chocolate, and whisk slowly until the chocolate melts and is completely incorporated. Pour the mixture into six 6-ounce ramekins and bake in a water bath until the creme is set, about 1 hour.
• Cool in the refrigerator until cold, overnight.
• For the butterscotch: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook until the sugar thickens and reaches the soft-ball stage, a candy thermometer will read 235 degrees F, the sugar will just start to darken in color. Whisk the cream and salt in slowly, being careful as the cream will steam and the sugar mixture may clump. Keep whisking and cooking until smooth. Remove from the heat and add enough food coloring to make the sauce bloody!
• Serve the pots de creme drizzled with some of the bloody butterscotch.