Skip to main content
Our Stores
My Wishlist
Our StoresMy Wishlist
Venchi

Pots de Crème au Chocolat

Create a luxury experience with Venchi’s Chocolate Pot de Crème recipe that makes chocolate the hero and tastes like a rich, creamy ganache. We’ve simplified this classic French dessert with a few tweaks, so there’s no need for baking. 

Venchi Dark Chocolate

What is a Pot de Crème? 

A Pot de Crème is a classic French dessert with a long history dating back to the 17th century, and its name literally translates to "pots of cream." It sits somewhere between a custard and a mousse but is in a class all of its own. Custard is different from pot de crème in a subtle way; it's thickened with corn starch, while pot de crème only uses eggs.  

Chocolate mousse's recipe calls for whipped egg whites that make it light and fluffy, while pot de crème only uses egg yolks and has a much richer and denser texture. Pot de crème is also often baked in the oven, while mousse is not. We wanted to keep things simple, so we've also shared a no-bake Pot de Crème recipe that's just as delightful as the original. 

 

Ingredients 

  • 3/4 cups heavy cream  

  • 3/4 cups whole milk  

  • 4 egg yolks  

  • 1/3 cup white sugar  

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

  • ½ teaspoon fine salt  

  • Equipment: six 6-ounce ramekins  

 

Step by step instructions 

  1. Place the egg yolks into a bowl, gently whisk them by hand, and then set aside.  

  1. In a saucepan, slowly heat the heavy cream and whole milk, whisking to combine. Take off the heat when the cream mixture is scalding hot; that is the point just before it reaches boiling. You can check the temperature with a food thermometer, and it should be 180F.  

  1. Very slowly pour the scalding cream into the egg yolks, whisking as you go.  

  1. After the cream and egg yolks are smooth and combined, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return it to the stove on low heat. Make sure to whisk the mixture and leave it on the heat for 1-2 minutes or until you see the mixture significantly thicken: it should be able to cover the back of a spoon or measure at 175F. Then, take it off the heat. This is an important step; if your mixture isn't thick enough, it won't set properly at the end.  

  1. Once you've removed the pan from the heat, add the remaining ingredients: the chocolate, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whisk the mixture, stopping once the chocolate is melted and the ingredients are combined.  

  1. Strain the dark chocolate pot de crème through a fine sieve into a bowl to ensure a smooth texture.  

  1. Pour the mixture evenly into the six ramekins. Put the ramekins into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until the chocolate is set.  

  1. Serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy! 

 

Nutrition Facts 

  • Calories: 375 kcal  

  • Carbohydrates: 19g  

  • Sugar: 15g  

  • Protein: 7g  

  • Fat: 31g  

  • Cholesterol: 213mg  

  • Sodium: 133mg 

  • Fiber: 2g  

 

Discover our delicious pot au chocolat variants 

For deep, full-bodied flavor, you can’t look past dark chocolate for this pot de crème recipe—it delivers the perfect amount of sophistication and intensity. But you can also use milk chocolate or even white chocolate; just make sure to adjust the amount of white sugar. For white chocolate, we would avoid the added sugar entirely and instead add lemon zest or lavender syrup to the pot de crème to help balance the sweetness. 

While gently heating the cream and milk, it’s the best time to infuse extra flavors into your pot de crème. Here are some incredible suggestions:  

  • Cardamon & aniseed  

  • 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder  

  • 1 ounce of liqueur (Grand Marnier, Kahlua or Chambord)