Description
Decadent and creamy Chocolate Pots de Crème paired with a crunchy hazelnut crumble topping. This classic French dessert combines rich milk and dark chocolate custard with a delicate balance of sweetness and texture, perfect for a luxurious treat or elegant dinner party finale.
Ingredients
Scale
Hazelnut Crumble Topping
- 20 g All-purpose Flour
- 20 g Roasted Hazelnuts
- 30 g Almond Flour
- 40 g Sugar
- 40 g Butter
Chocolate Pots de Crème
- 100 g Whole Milk
- 450 g Whipping Cream
- 90 g Sugar (divided into 45 g and 45 g)
- 6 Egg Yolks
- 200 g Milk Chocolate
- 200 g Dark Chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare Hazelnut Crumble Topping: In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, roasted hazelnuts, almond flour, sugar, and butter. Mix until you form a dough.
- Roll out Dough: Shape the dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a ½ cm thick layer.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour to firm it up before baking.
- Bake Topping: Bake the chilled dough in a preheated oven at 170°C (360°F) until golden brown.
- Cool and Break: Allow the baked crumble to cool completely on a wire rack, then break it into small pieces by hand and store in an airtight container.
- Prepare Ramekins: Arrange ramekins or glasses on a tray lined with plastic wrap for the chocolate pots de crème.
- Chop Chocolate: Finely chop both milk and dark chocolate and place in a large bowl.
- Mix Egg Yolks and Sugar: Whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar (45 g) until well combined and set aside.
- Heat Milk and Cream: In a saucepan, bring the whole milk, whipping cream, and the remaining sugar (45 g) to a gentle boil.
- Temper Egg Mixture: Gradually pour half of the hot milk/cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously to prevent curdling. Then, pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk/cream mix.
- Cook Custard: Stir continuously with a rubber spatula over medium heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon (reaching 83-85°C or 181-185°F). Do not let it boil.
- Strain Custard over Chocolate: Pour the hot custard through a sieve onto the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes to melt.
- Incorporate Chocolate: Gently whisk the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and integrated, resulting in a smooth custard.
- Fill Ramekins: Use a ladle to transfer the chocolate custard into the prepared ramekins or glasses.
- Chill Dessert: Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set.
- Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle the chocolate pots de crème with the hazelnut crumble topping and optionally add chocolate shavings for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use good quality milk and dark chocolate for the richest flavor.
- Precise temperature control is important to avoid curdling the custard.
- The hazelnut crumble can be made a day in advance and stored airtight.
- Serve chilled for the best texture and taste.
- To make chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Chocolate Pots de Crème, French Dessert, Chocolate Custard, Hazelnut Crumble, Elegant Dessert
