Birthday recipe rundown: Chocolate pots de crème

Whew. Lately there has been too much illness in my house, my friends. Thankfully, nothing has been serious, just disruptive.

My parents came to visit for my birthday, which was a lovely treat. We spent some time at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, where L. practiced standing up on anything and everything. We also went to Top of the Park and lounged around on a blanket listening to good music. Altogether a very relaxing visit.

The very cool monkey puzzle tree (photo by O.)

Hanging with Dad

On my actual birthday, we went out for sushi and L. hammed it up with the wait staff and chowed down on sushi rice. O. made me celebratory chocolate pots de crème from the Tartine cookbook. They were extremely decadent and super delicious.

So now that my birthday has come and gone, I am working diligently on my list. It has actually been a nice opportunity to reflect on the types of things that make me happy and how to incorporate said things into (or in some cases, back into) my life. More to come. But for now.....the recipe!

CHOCOLATE POTS DE CRÈME
From Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 3/4 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp sugar
pinch salt
8 large egg yolks
Unsweetened softly whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Have ready 8 custard cups or ramekins that hold ¾ cup each. Choose a baking pan or baking dish for a water bath large enough to accommodate custard cups or ramekins without touching, and deep enough to hold water that will reach three-fourths of the way up the sides of the molds once they are added. Pour enough water into the pan to reach about halfway up the sides of the pan, and place the pan in the oven while it is heating.

Pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a gentle simmer. Select a heat-proof bowl that will rest securely in the rim of the pan over, not touching, the water. Put the chocolate in the bowl, place over the water, and heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and is smooth. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, and salt, place over medium heat, and heat to just under a boil. Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and whisk until well blended. When the cream mixture is ready, remove it from the heat and slowly pour it into the melted chocolate, whisking to incorporate. Slowly add the chocolate-cream mixture to the egg yolks, again whisking well to incorporate. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or large measuring cup. You should have about 1 quart.

Line up the custard cups or ramekins on the countertop, and pour the mixture into them, dividing it evenly. Pull out the oven rack holding the water bath and place the molds in the bath. Pour in more water if necessary to reach three-fourths of the way up the sides of the molds.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. To test for doneness, jiggle one of the molds; the center of the custard should still be a bit wobbly, but the outside should appear set. Remove the water bath from the oven, and remove the custards from the water bath. Let cool. The custards will continue to cook and set up as they cool. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

Note: The whipped cream was delicious, but I actually preferred mine sprinkled with some smoked sea salt to bring out the deep chocolate flavor. I think that these would also be fabulous with lavender or lemongrass (steeped in the cream mixture).