Artisan Chocolate Pots de Créme with Rum Whipped Cream

The Foodies' KitchenSeptember 13, 2015

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

September is our Independence month, and throughout the month we like to post Guatemalan recipes every year. We either post traditional dishes, or we add our own twist to recipes using Guatemalan ingredients. This year, we bring you these pots de créme, which is basically pudding with a fancy name. They are made with the basic milk and egg yolk mixture but the twist lies in the chocolate, we used artisan Guatemalan chocolate and a little coffee, as well as semi-sweet chocolate. You could also add a pinch of cayenne pepper to give it a little spice, we love to combine chocolate with this spicy ingredient.

Artisan chocolate is used to make hot chocolate beverage and it has a particular and very different taste compared to regular drinking chocolate or cocoa. It comes in handmade tablets that contain sugar and sometimes cinnamon, they are hard and dry and have a grainy texture. It completely dissolves in hot liquid, either milk or water, and its flavor is rich and earthy. Our international readers can probably find this chocolate in Latin food stores.

For the topping on this dessert, we took regular whipped cream to another level by adding Zacapa rum to it. Guatemalan’s don’t need an introduction to this rum, and a lot of you have probably already heard about it because it is famous for its quality, some say it is the best rum in the World. We agree.

You can certainly flavor your whipped cream with any other brand of dark rum, or type of liquor. An orange, or hazelnut liquor would work nicely.

Helga & Kitty

Artisan Chocolate Pots de Créme with
Rum Whipped Cream

Adapted from Food & Wine
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
6 ounces Guatemalan artisan chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (or bar)
1 teaspoon of espresso powder or instant coffee

For the Whipped Cream:
½ cup cream, for whipping
1 tablespoon Zacapa Rum
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk with the heavy cream and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until combined. Slowly whisk in ½ cup of the hot milk, then transfer the mixture to the saucepan. Cook the custard over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Immediately add the finely chopped Guatemalan chocolate and semi sweet chocolate and remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, then strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup or bowl.
Pour the chocolate mixture into 6 small ramekins or bowls and refrigerate until the pots de crème are chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight.
To make the whipped cream: Beat the cold cream with a mixer until it thickens. Add the confectioner’s sugar and rum. Whip until well combined.
Serve the pots de crème with the Zacapa rum whipped cream and chocolate shavings.