Caffè Mocha Pots de Crème
Saturday was one of my favorite kind of days; a day when friends dropped by to kibitz around the kitchen table. We caught up, shared the latest news, everyone talking over each other, and lots and lots of laughs. Fried donuts drenched in chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream glazes were chased down with freshly brewed coffee. That doesn’t happen enough these days – not the donut part, but the ‘people stopping for a visit unannounced’ part. Instead, there is an acrobatic juggling of calendars resulting in a date so far into the future that by the time it arrives you have forgotten the reason you were getting together in the first place. I remember Sundays during my childhood when extended family and friends would frequently drop in, often staying right through to dinner. And that’s the trick. You need to feed your company. Keep bringing out food and they’ll stay. After the donuts were gone I went to the freezer and brought out the sticky buns I had frozen the week before. If I had anticipated their visit, I would have had a big pot of soup on the back burner or something roasting in the oven that would have enticed them to stay even longer.
My girl is home from school, which added immensely to the enjoyment of the time spent sitting around the table. College students are full of interesting stories. Every day is sweeter when Jael is around. She has matured into a great cook and baker in her own right and constantly amazes me with her competency in the kitchen. She is my best taste-tester and it is such a joy to have her with me when I am baking. I post-poned making this recipe for Pots de Creme until she arrived home because I knew she would just love it. She is a big fan of all things chocolatey and creamy and gave this recipe her full approval. It’s great fun to bake, but it is made even better when I get to see the delight on people’s faces when they taste my creations. It brings a special joy to my heart when that person is my daughter.
The recipe suggests chilling the Pots de Cremè for several hours before serving, but I highly suggest enjoying at least one while it is still warm.
Caffè Mocha Pots de Crème
Custard
3.5 ounces good quality milk chocolate, chopped
3.5 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (add another 1/2 teaspoon for a stronger coffee flavor)
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
White Chocolate Faux Foam
2 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Chocolate covered espresso beans for decoration
Preheat oven to 325˚F. Position oven rack in the center.
Custard: Place the chopped chocolates in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the espresso powder over the chocolate. Combine the egg and egg yolks in a small bowl. Heat the cream, milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just before the mixture boils. Immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk gently but thoroughly to completely blend the mixture. Add the egg and yolks, whisking to incorporate thoroughly.
Pour the custard through a strainer into a pitcher. Place the six (6-ounce) custard cups in a large roasting pan, making sure they don’t touch, and divide the warm custard among them. Pull out the oven rack and place the pan on the rack; then remove one of the cups, pour enough hot tap water (not boiling) into that area to come halfway up the sides of the cups, and replace the cup. Cut a piece of foil large enough to fit just inside the edges of the pan, then lay the foil across the top of the cups, making sure it doesn’t touch the custard. Gently push the rack back into the oven, shut the oven door, and bake the custards for 50 to 60 minutes, just until the edges of the custards are set – there should still be a dime-sized liquid area in the very center of the custard (test by gently tapping the side of the pan).
Remove the foil and then the pan from the oven, being careful not to tilt the pan and splash water on top of the custards. Set the pan on a heatproof surface. Use tongs (or your hand protected by a kitchen towel) to immediately remove the cups from the water bath and place them on a rack to cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
White Chocolate Faux Foam: Place the chopped white chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it begins to simmer. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 1 minute, then gently stir with a spatula until thoroughly blended and smooth. Cover each custard with a thin layer of the white chocolate/cream mixture. Serve the custards immediately, or refrigerate up to 1 hour. Top each custard with a chocolate covered espresso bean before serving if you like.
Yield: 6 servings
Source: Adapted from The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet
What a lovely post! I also recall weekend visitors when I was growing up. Everyone is sooo busy now. It seems we have forgotten how to relax and enjoy our lives.
I am charmed by your photos and the styling of the lush “Pot de Creme”.
Thanks Deb! My hope is that if I put the word out there that my front door is always open, family and friends will just keep showing up.
Should I just show up in a couple weeks, or tell you I am coming?
I’ll take you any way I can get you!
Aww, it`s wonderful having good guests visit, because it`s really always fun to talk and enjoy each others’ company.
I’ve never had pot de creme before. But, these look adorable and delicious. How sweet that your daughter is home to try your baked goodies.