Pots de Creme Javanaise
Serves 6
A rich and delicious classical French dessert that can be prepared well in advance.
Ingredients #
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped fine
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tbsp instat espresso powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Whipped cream and 6 chocolate coffee beans to garnish
Instructions #
Preheat oven to 300 F.
In a small skillet or saucepan, cook 1/4 cup sugar over moderate heat until it is melted and golden caramel. Carefully add 1/4 cup water and simmer the mixture, stirring, until the caramel is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until it is melted.
Scald the milk in a small saucepan.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the whole egg with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Whisk in the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the milk gradually, then add the espresso powder, the vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Strain the custard through a fine sieve, skim off the froth, and spoon it into 6 2/3-cup liddedn custard pots or ramekins. If using ramekins, you’ll need to cover each ramekin with foil.
Place them in a baking dish and add enough hot water to the pan to come about a third up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until they are just set. Remove from the oven and transfer the ramekins to a rack. Remove their covers and allow them to cool completely down to room temperature. Then cover them with plastic wrap and chill them for at least three hours or over night.
Garnish each custard with a rosette of whipped cream and a chocolate coffee bean.