Chocolate Pots de Creme

Chocolate Pots de Creme. Now tell me you didn't just smile saying this, let alone, seeing the picture! This is one of my latest fave desserts to make. Super easy. Amazingly yum! And you can't go wrong with any dessert eaten out of a cute ramekin...

About a year ago, I found Le Creuset ramekins in my favorite apple green at Homegoods and proceeded to buy every one they had, so when I do get an itch to make this dessert, I can feed all of Orange County in the process :)

Ingredients

9 oz. high quality semisweet chocolate, chopped {I use Guiradelli's large chocolate chips}

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream {yep, it's a very non-fat dessert, but worth every bite}

6 large egg yolks

5 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Directions

Place the chocolate in a blender. Whisk the milk, 1 cup cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a heateproof spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the spatula and almost boiling, 5-6 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 {I don't recommend licking the spatula at this point~ it's still too hot. Yes, I tried it} as needed. Divide the chocolate mixture among ramekins or small cups and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. {I always make mine the night before I serve, just to make sure it completely sets.}

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. {Chocolate shavings on the whipped cream also add an extra fun touch~ you can't go wrong with the Trader's Pound of Milk Chocolate... anything left over, well, that's your call!}

Enjoy!