These Earl grey chocolate pots de creme are silky with an intense chocolate flavor and a subtle note of Earl Grey tea.
Even though I’m working and won’t be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Vu, it didn’t stop me from whipping up a special treat for him. I decided to surprise Vu with a treat of Earl grey chocolate pots de creme. Chocolate pudding is hands down one of Vu's favorite childhood treats and Earl Grey is my favorite tea so it's a win win combination.
After seventeen years of being together, we don’t make a big deal about Valentine’s Day. No roses. No fancy dinner. And definitely no gifts. We celebrate by spending time together and doing the little things for each other. Once you become a mom, you’ll appreciate coming home from work and finding all the laundry put away or all the baby bottles washed. And for Vu, it’s finding little treats around the house or in the fridge. It’s not about the grand romantic overtures but all the little things that add up.
For the pots de creme, I infused the Earl grey flavor by steeping loose tea leaves in the cream. The warm tea flavored cream is used to melt the chocolate and temper the egg yolks and sugar. To get a smooth texture I strained the chocolate mixture to get rid of any bits and pieces of eggs that might have cooked during the tempering process. The chocolate mixture is divided into little pots, hence the name pots de creme, and baked in a water bath until barely set.
After setting in the fridge for 3 hours, you’re rewarded with an intense chocolate dessert. If you prefer a less rich flavor, substitute half of the cream for milk and play around with the amount of sugar. I topped mine with creme fraiche to cut through the richness of chocolate but you can also top them with seasonal fruits like segmented blood oranges, strawberries, or raspberries. I’m so excited to share the recipe for these Earl grey chocolate pots de creme just in time for Valentine's Day. If you’re making it for yourself, cut the recipe in half. These Earl grey chocolate pots de creme are not for the faint of heart and meant to be shared.
If you need more Valentine's Day inspiration, check out these simple recipes: blood orange panna cotta and blood orange and chocolate chip sorbet.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram. We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.
Earl grey chocolate pots de creme
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cup organic heavy cream
- 2 tbsps Earl grey loose tea leaves
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate, (Nestle Toll House semi-sweet morsels)
- 4 small organic egg yolks
- 2 tbsps granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup creme fraiche, for serving
- 1 tablespoon shaved chocolate, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Set aside six ramekins or oven proof jars and a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it bubbles around the edges. Remove from heat and add the tea leaves. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain the infused cream into another saucepan. Bring the infused milk back to a simmer and turn off heat. Whisk in chopped chocolate until smooth.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow.
- Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Strain the mixture through a very fine mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Divide the chocolate mixture among the oven proof jars.
- Place the jars in the baking dish and pour hot water in the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekin.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the edges are lightly set but the center is still wobbly.
- Remove the jars from water and set them aside to cool for 15 minutes.
- Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight before serving.
- When ready to serve, top the pots de creme with creme fraiche and shaved chocolate.
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