These little pots of expresso flavored chocolate will satisfy the yearnings of the most ardent chocoholic. I top them off with a little expresso creme fraiche and a plump raspberry.
Ingredients
- 1 9.7 ounce bar Scharffen Berger 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2¼ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 t instant espresso powder, divided
- Two pinch of salt, divided
- 9 large egg yolks
- 3 T sugar plus 1 t
- 1 cup creme fraische
- 12 plump raspberries or 12 chocolate covered coffee beans
Directions
- 1Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 300 degrees.
- 2Put cream, milk, 1.5 t espresso powder and one pinch of salt in a medium sized pot. Stir mixture over a medium flame until the mixture just begins to boil and all the espresso powder is dissolved. Remove from heat.
- 3Put chopped chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and pour cream combination over chocolate, stirring until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- 4In a second bowl, using a hand whisk combine the egg yolks, sugar, and second pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in the chocolate and cream mixture to the egg combination. It is important that you add the hot chocolate slowly so you don't cook the eggs.
- 5Pour chocolate custard into 12 ramekins. Line two baking pans with terry cloth towels. Place 6 ramekins in each baking pan. Fill the pan with hot water. Water level should be about ½ " to ¾" from the top.
- 6Cover the pans tightly with tin foil. Using a wooden skewer, poke holes around the pots to allow the steam to vent. Carefully place pans in oven and bake for 30 minutes. Creme pots will still be jiggly when you take them out.
- 7Keep the pans covered and let them cool for one hour. Remove pots, cover with plastic and put in the fridge for a minimum of two hours before serving.
- 8Mix 1 cup creme fraiche with 1 t sugar and ½ t espresso powder. Put mixture in fridge while creme pots are cooling. Before serving place a spoonful of the creme fraiche mixture in the middle of each creme pot and top with a raspberry or chocolate covered coffee bean.
