Pot de crème is a baked custard that is served cold. It has a silky-smooth texture and is often made with chocolate as the base. It’s great served with whipped cream and/or fresh fruit. Caramelized white chocolate will turn any self-proclaimed hater of white chocolate into a serious convert. It takes a little time to make the caramelized chocolate, but the flavor is bonkers good. If you don’t want to make it yourself, though, you can replace the white chocolate with an equal amount of Valrhona’s Dulcey, which is already caramelized (and so delicious); you can find it online.
Makes 6 servings
Difficulty: Medium
Make Ahead and Storage: The caramelized white chocolate can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; melt before using. The pots de crème, tightly covered with plastic wrap, can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
1. Preheat the oven to 250°F / 121°C. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (use parchment paper if you don’t have a mat).
2. Spread the white chocolate in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Transfer the sheet to the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, pulling the baking sheet out every 8 to 10 minutes to stir/spread the white chocolate around. As it melts and then cooks, it will begin to take on a golden color; cook and stir until it’s evenly golden brown (it will look like butterscotch). Transfer the caramelized chocolate to a large heatproof bowl and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 325°F / 162°C.
3. Line the baking sheet with a (fresh) sheet of parchment. Place six 6-ounce ramekins or other individual baking dishes on the baking sheet. Heat a large kettle of water to barely simmering (you can use a pot, but it is a lot easier to pour from a kettle).
4. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
5. When the cream mixture has come to a simmer, whisk the egg yolks into the warm caramelized white chocolate. Then pour in the hot cream mixture, stirring to combine.
6. Ladle the custard evenly among the prepared ramekins, filling each one to just below the rim. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and carefully pour enough hot water from the kettle into the baking sheet to come about one third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are set at the edges but still jiggly in the center, 45 to 55 minutes.
7. Remove the custards from the water bath and cool for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 2 hours, before serving.
✻ Why It Works
Pot de crème is thickened by a high ratio of egg yolks and thus requires slow cooking at a relatively low temperature. That way, the egg yolks are slowly coagulated rather than quickly set, resulting in a silky-smooth texture. The white chocolate also firms up the pots de crème as they are chilled, resulting in a custard that’s firm but still spoonable.
★ Pro Tip
The caramelized white chocolate can be added to any recipe where you might use ordinary white chocolate—and even to many recipes that use milk chocolate or dark chocolate: It’s dreamy inside Chewy Oatmeal Cookies.