Saturday, February 12, 2011

Valentine's Day Chocolate Mocha Pot de Crème - Now, What's for Breakfast?

Easy "no-bake" chocolate mocha pot de creme
The real goal of any hot Valentine's Day date isn't to make a great dinner; it's to make a great breakfast for that same person the next day. With that in mind, we're going to need something a little richer, sexier, and more decadent than usual.

Luckily, richer, sexier, and more decadent is exactly what this chocolate mocha pot de crème recipe is all about. Sure, it's basically just a soft, coffee-flavored chocolate ganache, but when you serve it out of those cute little demitasse cups, top it with some thickened cream, and dust it with cocoa to simulate a petite cappuccino, there's nothing basic about it.

On a less romantic note, let me make a little disclaimer about this dessert's composition. If you make it with other types of chocolate, other dairy products, or other sweeteners, I can't be held responsible for it's aphrodisiacal effects.

I'm sort of a one trick pony when it comes to this stuff, so without sounding too lazy, if you're wondering about the difference between 70% and 85% chocolate, or if half and half will work instead, you should probably Google a reliable source. Or better yet, just make it exactly like this – it was really good.

Having said that, you are certainly free to put your own subtle flavoring twists on this, like a bit of orange zest instead of coffee, or as I joke about in the video, a little pinch of cayenne. I really hope you give this a try for Valentines Day, and good luck with that breakfast. Enjoy!


Here is the same video embeded with Vimeo for our European friends who can't view though YouTube!



Ingredients for 4 Chocolate Mocha Pots de Crème
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into very small pieces (as small as corn kernels)
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
very tiny pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

174 comments:

Carmen said...

Sorry, John! I mean this video (Ultimate Valentine's Chocolate Dessert!). Blocked on YouTube Germany. Can seeing it in other countries?

Chef John said...

I forwarded your comment to Youtube, but no one else has reported any issues, and other people in Germany say it's working. This video is no different than any other vid I've posted. So, no idea.

JLee said...

Chef, four cups?!! How many Valentines are you having over? You are such a player :-)

leuchtfeuer said...

This video is blocked for me too. It says: ..content Next New Network ...no in your country. Sooooo sad :(

Carmen said...

@ Chef John:
OK, thank you!

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna get so lucky with this recipe. Just sayin...

Chef John said...

Luck has nothing to do with it. ;-)

Ian said...

Oh, my girl is so getting this for valentines, thanks so much. :)

Unknown said...

This video contains content of "Next News Network". It is not available in your country.

Bummer.

Chef John said...

Sorry, but I've let them know. I've done nothing different on my end!

Chef John said...

I'm uploading to Vimeo now so you can see! Stay tuned!

Jack Parker said...

Where did you find the Moser Roth chocolate? I've only ever seen it in one place... Aldi (German) grocery store. It's one of the best chocolates ever (along with Choceur,) and it's completely turned me off of American "chocolate." Moser Roth has won several awards for their decadent goodness.

I love chocolate and mint together but my boss is a chocolate fiend and loves chocolate with hazelnut, so that's how I'll be flavoring this. (I have the world's greatest boss so when I try out your recipes I include the boss.)

Do you top it with the lightly whipped heavy cream before or after the refrigeration period? I would imagine you add it just before serving. Am I right?

Chef John said...

Ha! There are a ton of Aldis around my moms here in the finger lakes! No idea it was German. Yes, cream on last minute.

LipeCau said...

My addition to this recipe:
Chocolate Liqueur.
THAT's how you get some... compliments after dinner.

LipeCau said...

My addition to the recipe:
Chocolate Liqueur!
THAT's how you get some... nice compliments after dinner.

MGN said...

I'm holding you directly responsible if I don't get some... nice compliments :) BTW, I could only get "Lindt" chocolate (it was the most expensive) is it good? Thanks a lot!

Ken said...

Some of the other recipes called for eggs, but i think yours looks (and probably tastes) better!
one trick pony or not, it looks like a winner to me! :)

Indras said...

Can this be put on freezer to speed up the process?

Anonymous said...

I got totally confused now because from Norway I have never had a problem watching your videos. It works!! But hey - two versions of Chef John is better than none! ;)

Rita said...

chef, i think you forgot to embed the link from Vimeo. i can't view it :(

Chef John said...

Never tried, but dont see why not. I would not let freeze though.

Anonymous said...

isn't this basically a ganache? i make ganache this way and after refrigeration it turns into the same thing...not complaining just asking...

Chef John said...

Rita,
nope, didn't forget (if I had there would be no video player frame on the page) You may need to check your browser settings. It plays without issue for me.
Good luck!

Julie in Virginia said...

Yum! This looks so good. I love the way you talk us through all the nuances of cooking new things. Definitely going to give this a try and you are fast becoming my "go to" recipe site when I want something fun to cook and fun to eat.

Thank you!

Chef John said...

Hey anon, yes, it is basically a ganache...which is what I said in the 2nd paragraph! ;-)

dougeatfresh said...

What does that tiny pinch of salt do?

Chef John said...

A tiny bit of salt makes chocolate taste more intense.

Anonymous said...

Hey Chef John!
This will be literally the first dessert/sweet thing I ever make! As a devout carnivore, I don't consider anytning not-containing meat as food.
Here are three questions:
1. What can I substitute the vanilla extract with? I haven't seen anything like this here in Poland. A vanilla containing thing that comes to mind is vanilla sugar (ingredients: sugar and ethylovanillyn). Do you have this in the US? If its a substitute, how much should I use?
2. How fat is heavy cream? In Poland we have just cream/smietana/ with different percentages of fat, eg. - 12, 18, 36%.
3. What dinner meal would this dessert be a good follow-up to? I was thiking of your Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo pasta.

Have a great time on Valentin's Day! I know I'll get la.. wait, lots of kisses thanks to your recipes.
Regards,
Tomek from Bialystok, Poland.

Anuda said...

Mine are already in the fridge... Can´t wait till tomorrow night!!!

Chef John said...

1. vanilla sugar will work instead
2. 36%
3. Anything EXCEPT super rich creamy entrees like afredo ;-)

Anonymous said...

have you ever made dumates? it is greek and served in grape leaves
served cold because warm really sucked
kinda like greek cabbage rolls
i had them 10 years ago
wow fantastic meal
wes
mrabuckten on you tube

Unknown said...

This look delicious, I plan on making it tomorrow.
Could I make a small suggestion? Sometimes it's hard to tell how much an ouce is (because not all chocolate bars are measured in ouces). Maybe you could say "4 ounces of dark chocolate, or 1 cup finely chopped dark chocolate" ? Not that I'm going to complain if I use too much chocolate, though!

PS. Has anyone ever told you that you sound exactly like Seth Rogen?

Chef John said...

Sorry but you CANT measure chocolate by volume here! I think you may be confusing weight and volume measurements. This requires very precise amounts, so I call for 4oz chocolate by weight (.25 lb) not sure what you mean by "hard to tell" an ounce. An ounce never varies.

Chef John said...

I did a cookbook but not thee foodwishes cookbook. If you watch the video I did about the book, I explain all . Just follow the link in the post.

Chef John said...

Sorry, missed part of your comment. Any supermarket dark chocolate bar will have the weight on the label, and if not just measure 4oz on a kitchen scale. Depending on who is chopping it and how small, a cup of chopped chocolate would vary too much to be accurate. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Can I use Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate
82%

Patrick said...

I made this tonight for friends and it was a hit!

Question for anyone - I used a 72% chocolate, whole milk, and followed the directions exactly.

The end result was ever so slightly gritty. While it was very good, I think it should have been silkier. Where did I go wrong?

Chef John said...

Can't sub Milk for cream. Not enough fat.

Rita said...

i finally got to view it. that looks like how italians make their hot chocolate, which is sooooo good!

Gigi said...

I made it last night... and as you might imagine, I got la.....ladled with compliments. He ate TWO.. and I'm the chocoholic.

It was delicious, but if we wanted to make it a little less dense, maybe a tad lighter, could we whip the cream?

I have a Bonjour frother for fat free milk and frothed up some, put it on top, and it was airy and perfect.

Also made your P--da chicken wings for Super Bowl. AMAZING.

Thanks for making me look like such a good cook!

Chef John said...

Yes, that will work, or simply use a bit less chocolate. That's what really firms it up.

Patrick said...

Oh, darn it darn it darn it, I misspoke...

I did use heavy cream - a good one, too.

I blame the wine for my misstatement.

Statii Maritime said...

Hey JLee I was wondering the same thing when I saw the recipe. Anyway it looks and it definitely tastes great. Maybe I’ll make some for my Valentine tomorrow morning just to start the day on a positive way. Thanks for sharing.

ChocolateViking said...

Made this for my girlfriend. We enjoyed it hugely, even though it was very rich. Thank you very much :)

Jesse from Detroit said...

I've gotta ask about the sugar measurement... why the "plus 1 teaspoon"? Did you taste 3 tablespoons and find it not sweet enough? Just curious.
-Jesse from Detroit

Chef John said...

that would be it! :-)

Martin Breault said...

My batch is currently chilling in the fridge. I can't believe how easy it was to make!

Seriously, thanks a lot for the recipe and tips. I love your style and your voice. Keep up the great work!

Anonymous said...

This was the perfect dessert after a dinner of lobster and braised short ribs. I used instant espresso powder which is a little more intense. Will definitely be making this for my next dinner party.

Becky said...

I tried making this, but the end result was it was too watery to set. I tried a second batch and the result came out the same. Any thoughts where I am going wrong? -as I measured the ingredients accurately, used 70% dark chocolate, 38% fat cream and whisked for much longer then 5 minutes.

Valentina said...

Hello Chef John!
How many ml heavy cream we need for this recipe??
Thanks

Anonymous said...

I made this the other night and all I can say is Wow. This is now in the desert tool box and sooo easy to make. Thank you so much for the information. Spot on

Anonymous said...

Becky, what Chocolate are you using? Are you getting cream hot enough? Do you let it sit for a minute before stirring? Other than that, no idea!

Anonymous said...

Chef John, I don't have a video of the recipe embedded for this dessert. Despite refreshing the page several times the embedded videos are for the chicken wing dip and the chicken wing predictions for the Super Bowl. I live in the US.

The Daily Sarah said...

Chef John! I tried to make this dessert for Valentine's Day (I even bought adorable heart-shaped mug and saucer sets) but my pot de creme refused to set. I made it again, and it still refused to set even after 24 hours in the fridge. In my frustration I've whipped it and am currently chilling it again.

The only thing I can really guess is that perhaps I'm supposed to whip it a bit when it's still hot? In the video you said that it would come together in a few "minutes". I assumed that it was moments and just mixed it until it was an even consistency. Do you whip it a bit while hot?

Any help much appreciated. (I really love your videos.)

Chef John said...

Yes has to be done when the cream is very hot, just like the video. And not whip, but stir with a whisk. Pour hot cream, wait a minute and stir until smooth and shiny. When did you stir it? I'd watch again to check. Good luck!

Solozaur said...

Here's a silly question: is it ok if i just drop the chopped chocolate in the pot where i heated the cream and mix it in there?

Chef John said...

probably!

Anonymous said...

im new to cooking but i want to make this, whats the difference between a tablespoon and a teaspoon, as listed in your recipe? thanks in advance

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John,

I tried this recipe and left it in the fridge for about 3-4 hrs and it still hasn't set. I used heavy cream but I think I might have used more than you suggested, and I also did not add any sugar. I also forgot to wait one minute before stirring the cream and chocolate together. Do any of these affect the setting process?

Chef John said...

I assume you are joking, but in case you are not, OF COURSE those things effect the recipe.

Chef John said...

anon, you need to buy a set of measuring spoons. Tablespoon is 3 times larger.

Anonymous said...

Can I use Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate
86%

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef!

I tried this recipe and left it in the fridge for about 3-4 hrs and it still hasn't set. I used some non-dairy creamer and nestle's quick. I also waited like 2 or 3 minutes before stirring. Do any of these affect the setting process?

Chef John said...

not funny

Anonymous said...

Hey Chef John! My girlfriend doesn't really enjoy dark chocolate because it's bitter. How bitter is this desert and can I substitute milk chocolate instead of dark? Pleas help, our anniversary is coming up next week and I want to make her a nice desert to complement the dinner.

Nurul said...

I just made these! These are so incredibly indulgent <3 SO quick to make which means I so need to restrain myself! Keep it up chef!

Chef John said...

If she doesn't like dark, she won't like this. I've heard it's been done with milk and whites chocolates, but I've never tried myself. I would search for a milk chocolate mousse recipe instead.

Robbi said...

Wow. This looks fantastic. Looking forward to try this out.

Michelle said...

Chef John, this looks amazing!

The thing is, I live in Canada and we do not have heavy cream here.

What can I use as a substitute?

Thanks!

Chef John said...

There really isn't. Are you sure? I've been to Canada and had food that used heavy cream, so many it's just called something else. Call a fancy French restaurant, they will know where to find.

Anonymous said...

Can you make a recipe of this that is less sweet? It's REALLY GOOD, but many of my friends think it's too sweet.

Chef John said...

the only way is to use less sweet chocolate, or less sugar, or get new friends.

Unknown said...

hi chef!
for the cup of cream, how big is it actually?
and i'm wondering if any Baileys Irish Cream could be added into it to give a slight alcoholic flavour?

genesis said...

hi chef, so you my question is, does it have to be 4 oz. chocolate? cuz i can only get 3.5 oz around here, your help will be greatly appreciated! and keep it up with these delicious recipes!

Chef John said...

You can add a little baileys. A cup is 8 oz

Bob said...

In Canada, we use the "Whipping cream" or something like that, and the highest % of fat in our liquid diary products only go up to 18%

we may have a problem here :S
or i need to switch countries

Chef John said...

What do the chef use? I'm sure they can get higher fat cream than that.

Unknown said...

Chef John,
The mrs & I love ALL your videos.
We made this Chocolate mocha pot de creme and added some grated toblerone.
Delicious!!
I have included a picture of our galant efforts
http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/7342/pauls35thbday2011065.jpg
Thankyou !!

Al-Chemist said...

Hey Chef John ! I tried this recipe and altho I am following it to the letter, no matter how long I store the mixture it just doesn't solidify ! It tastes just like melted ice-cream, REALLY good ice-cream nevertheless.

What could be the issue ? I tried putting it in the freezer - it becomes rock hard, then melts to a chocolate shake. If I put it in the fridge, even after 24 hours it still remains like a semi-solid shake .. =/

Chef John said...

Sorry, I have no idea. I know if you follow the recipe it works every time, so must be the chocolate.

Al-Chemist said...

=(

I am using Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate. I am using a lil lesser coffee than you've suggested. Maybe if I put in more chocolate ?

Dylan Shaffer said...

Chef John, when you said five hours later, did you mean it was in the fridge for seven hours all together?

Chef John said...

was 5 for me. Just chill until firm.

Chef John said...

Al, I have no idea. If you used exactly what do and the same exact steps in the video, it will work. Are you using heavy cream? Is it melting the chocolate and making that thick shiny sauce? At what point does yours not look like the video?

Derek said...

Hey Chef John,

I was wondering if I could substitute heavy cream with evaporated milk? I can't get my hands on any right now because I live 2.5 hours away from any supermarket.

If the substitution is possible, how much evaporated milk would I need?

Thank you in advance,

Derek

Chef John said...

dont think so, but never tried. sorry!

Derek said...

Nope, it didn't work with evaporated milk. The resulting mixture, prior to refrigeration, turned out too watery and not thick eough. I'm guessing a major component that was missing was the fat content...

I will try again using heavy cream. What percentage of fat for the heavy cream is required? Should I use the one with the highest content of fat?

Thanks in advance,

Derek

Chef John said...

I believe mine was 34% fat cream

Derek said...

Thanks for the information Chef John. I used 33% heavy cream (labeled as whipping cream) and the pot de creme came out great ! I found that using 70% chocolate was a bit bitter for me so I'll use less next time.

@ Al-Chemist

I used 70% Chocolate by Lindt and it worked...

Unknown said...

I used this recipe to fill mini filo cups. Then I topped them with almonds. It made 45 bite size treats.

shaquille_shaw said...

mines didnt come out right? Its still in liquid form, I did evrything except add the coffee... Was it that important?? Also I've waited about 7 hrs.

Chef John said...

Coffee makes no difference. No idea what you did. Sorry!

shaquille_shaw said...

maybe to much sugar? But thanks for the fast reply!!

DFG said...

After watching about everything there is to watch of cooking videos with Gordon Ramsay etc. on Youtube, I stumbled upon your channel - and of course your blog.

1. You have an extremely soothing voice. Why aren't you on TV?!

2. I've LOVED every video I watch. Similar methods to the vids I've watched with the celebrity chefs. I think that I'm making Gordon Ramsays scrambled eggs 3-4 times every week. I've made your molten lava cake so far, almost nailed it.

3. Hehe, awsome, dry humour.

Well, this recipe is made, and is cooling in the fridge at the moment. I hate the measurements in USA - why do you have to be so "special" over there? :D But I managed to get everything over to European (or worldwide.....) measurements, and found out that doing your recipie x1.75 was the best to get round numbers ;)

If this comes out well (looks that way so far), I'll try it with both milk chocolate and white chocolate. Used 70% this time.

But thanks for lots of great recipies, I'll try many of them, and follow your blog.

DFG said...

Came out perfectly, by the way :) But the desserts only needed 2-3 hours in the fridge here, consitency was perfect then.

Anonymous said...

Chef John,
I'm only 13 years old, but I still absoulutely LOVE your videos. And the recipes! You're hilarious, and your videos are very clear and easy to follow. I'll be making this tonight, for sure. It's one of my favourites. Chocolate is my weak spot. I also love your pasta with garlic & olive oil. I make it all the time, along with your mac n' cheese cassorole. It's all so good! Anyway, thank you for inspiring me with all your videos. Keep making videos, as I'll be SURE to watch them! From your biggest fan EVER, Sarah.

Anonymous said...

Hi chef Jonh.
Could you do this with milk chocolate? I know, I know, but my husband hates dark chocolate, and LOVES milk chocolate, and I really want to suprise him. It looks AMAZING.
Thanks!
- Jenilialo

Unknown said...

What about the cream you used on the top? Couldn´t understand as my mother language is portuguese.

Thanks

Willian

Chef John said...

It's just lightly whipped cream

Unknown said...

Thanks chef.
I made it last night.
I´ll seek some substitute here in Brazil for that!
Alo made the Roasted tomate with macarrone, was so so delicious!

It was no so beautifull as your´s, but was great!
look a picture
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1594487321257&set=a.1295472206066.39826.1808169550&type=1&theater

Thanks for all!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John,

I was wondering if I were to use two teaspoons of instant coffee in a recipe for brownies, would I need to add hot water to dissolve the coffee?
Anyways, thanks. And I am a huge fan

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef. If i refrigerate this for longer than 7 hours or overnight to 18 hours will the Pot de Creme be rock solid. I love your cooking style and i will be making this as a birthday gift for a "very special someone". I don't know what i'd give for her if i haven't seen this video so thank you so much Chef John.

Chef John said...

longer chilling doesn't matter, once it's cold, that's as firm as it's going to get.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Chef. I can't wait to give this to her tommorow.

Miss J said...

Chef John,
I'm thinking of doing Pumpkin maple Pot de creme but no bake. Can I use pumpkin puree instead of chocolate, of course, or will it not become custardy?

Chef John said...

Sorry won't work!

Anonymous said...

Dear chef John I wanted to know if this could be done with dark chocolate instead??????

Oh and I love your vids p.s I'm in French and wanted to know if you had any more French dishes I would appreciate it a lot(:

Anonymous said...

I made this to all the specifications but it did not set! I was left with cups of chocolate sauce. The sauce was grainy though. What went wrong?

Chef John said...

No idea! Must be the chocolate.

Ginny said...

Haha I'm just wondering how I'm supposed to wait 5 hours?! I doubt I can be that patient ;)
Sounds promising!

ChefJohnsBiggestFan said...

Made this earlier and indulged after your scrumptious chicken fingers. The pot de creme turned out so velvety smooth and rich and wonderful. SO easy to make ! ONE question- IF i were to add to next batch some heat- HOW MUCH and what? Cayenne? do tell......

Chef John said...

sure cayenne works, but you have to do it to taste.

ChefJohnsBiggestFan said...

made this the 2nd time around with a different chocolate. 1st time used 70% Lindt. This time used 72% Ghiradeli...was not as pleased...there was a slight grainy texture in every bite....hubby couldn't tell but i could. WHAT did i do wrong OR was it the chocolate???

Chef John said...

sorry, but w/o seeing what u did i can't tell. :-(

ChefJohnsBiggestFan said...

sigh. yeah ok, i figured you may say maybe i got the milk too hot. I got a meat thermometer and got the cream to 163 then followed your EXACT directions..... I will just go with the lindt next time. Makin chicken prick tonight. so nervous.....but you'll be with me on youtube ;)

Chef John said...

good luck! Remember, things will come out better if you are relaxed.

Joanna said...

Hey chef,

Is Cadbury Old Gold 70% dark chocolate good & expensive enough?

Chef John said...

should be, but i've never tried it!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John, we don't like instant coffee and don't have them. But I still would like the coffee flavour. How much liquid coffee can I use in place of the 1/2 tsp instant coffee? Thank you very much!

Joanna said...

Hey Chef :)
I went grocery shopping for this recipe and for the chocolate mousse recipe today. I couldn't find heavy cream, but I found heavy whipping cream at 36% fat. Can I use that instead of the heavy cream?
Thanks in advance :)

Anonymous said...

Hello Chef,

Would it be all right to substitute espresso powder for the instant coffee? If so, what measurement would you recommend?

Thank you!!!

Chef John said...

might work, but i've never tried so can't say for sure!

Anonymous said...

Hi just asking, as i don't like sweet stuff alot, will this be very sweet? 3 tablespoons sounds kinda scary...

Anonymous said...

How can you add strawberries to the recipe? My husband doesn't care for anything unless it has strawberries in it.

cherryblossompie said...

Hi Chef John!
I left it in the fridge for almost 12 hours and it still hasn't set... I used Ghiradeli chocolate, and it turned out grainy and gross... I also might not have gotten the cream hot enough (I know this affects the setting process), but other than that I followed your directions EXACTLY. I know why the setting was messed up, but the taste still baffles me. Is there something I might've done wrong to mess up the taste?

Chef John said...

sorry, but chocolate is very temperamental, so without watching you, i can't tell u what happened.

ChefJohnsBiggestFan said...

cherryblossom, I'm not chef john but in my experience with using ghirardeli chocolate mine turned out grainy too. make it one more time using LINDT 70%! you will be pleased. make sure the cream is making tiny bubbles just around the pans edge. then u r ready. good luck!

Riza said...

hi chef john, can I melt the chocolate before pouring the cream?

Anonymous said...

Oh wow!!! I have been looking for the perfect decadent chocolate dessert for weeks now and I decided to try this one this past weekend. I found that it set much faster if put into the fridge without plastic wrap on top. I used little sundae dishes (four divided equally). Made some fresh whipped cream and holy cow - it was awesome. Thanks Chef John!!

Chef John said...

Not sure, but why? You should do it just as shown in the video.

snoozala said...

Hello Chef John,

I made a different chocolate pots de creme a couple of weeks ago. That recipe called for heating egg yolks with sugar and vanilla. No where near as delicious as yours and apparently much easier to ruin nothing like a little scrambled egg in your pudding...blech!!) I made your recipe yesterday and I still dreaming about it today.

I do have one question for you, though. I saw someone wrote that it set quickly because they didn't cover theirs with plastic wrap. I too, left mine uncovered and it set completely in about 2 hours. Am i doing something wrong by not covering it?

Chef John said...

with all due respect to the commenter, covering or not covering has NO effect on the firmness. I cover to keep clean, not for any other reason.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John,

Does this work with Nutella?

In Kiwiland said...

I made this recipe this morning and after 6 hours the mixture has not set solidly. Looks edible though. I used 35% cream and 85% Lindt chocolate. All I can think of is that the cream was not hot enough although the mixture looked glossy. There were only little bubbles forming around the edge of the cream in the pot I used. Should I have heated more?

Chef John said...

no, if it was a nice glossy sauce, then it was melted properly. Not sure.

Lori said...

I love your sense of humor on the video! I didn't get the thick, creamy consistency even though I did use real heavy whipping cream. Maybe it was the turbinado sugar, instead of regular white sugar, because the consistency was gritty and drippy. So sad! What do you think?

Anonymous said...

It was sinfully decadent! Love the humor and the ease of preparation. Thanks from US!

Anonymous said...

Tried this yesterday and unfortunately didn't turn out well. My guy didn't like it, nor did I. I used 85% chocolate, left it in fridge 6 hrs. I think I probably should've done 4 or 5 because though I could spoon it, it was a little hard. And i just thought the whole thing was way too rich. Chef John, is that due to chocolate percentage?

joseph said...

i used the exact measurements and heated the cream until it was on the verge of boiling.

chilled for 10 hours

didn't set.

not sure what went wrong =/

maybe ill try again since some people are claiming that the method works.

LibStre said...

You did it again, Chef John! i made this for my valentines (family), and it was a hit...so decadent, heavenly and rich: glad I served it in espresso cups.

Mel K said...

I have to join the Chef John fan club-you are beyond amazing, I tried this and it came out perfect. After I fail my NBDE (National Dental Board Exam), due to lack of studying (because I can't seem to stop watching your videos instead of studying) I will attempt to make the Lava cake :). Also a tip to everyone reading this blog, when it comes to baking you have to follow directions to a T (as in perfectly with no deviation) it is not like cooking. Every pinch will make a tremendous difference, this may not be the case in cooking. Chef John-Stay amazing :D

Anonymous said...

Could I use more heavy cream to keep a more smooth and creamy desert?

The Doomsday Gourmet said...

Thank you, Chef John, for another triumphant recipe. I doubt there are many deserts that have this amazing of an ease-to-deliciousness ratio. After making this twice, I've observed a few things. One is that you can change the results significantly(!) depending on what type of chocolate you use. All fancy, expensive chocolate does not taste the same, so I would suggest sampling the chocolate that you use beforehand so that it suits your tastes. Secondly, using 70% cacao is really recommended for the die hard dark chocolate fanatic, but it can be a little intense for some palates. Try using the recipe with some high quality 60% cacao chocolate (semi-sweet) if you would like to try a mellower but still amazingly delicious dessert. Finally, this could be my own error, but I found that there was still a bit of grittiness from the instant coffee in the pot de creme. In the future I will be more careful with my stirring but maybe add the instant coffee to the cream/sugar/vanilla mixture instead of to the chocolate? We'll see what happens. This recipe is so easy that I will surely make it again. I want to try using finely grated citrus zest of some kind instead of instant coffee next time, just to see what happens. I've also considered adding a few drops of rosewater. I dunno.

Anonymous said...

Can I use ordinary chocolate (like milk chocolate/Cadburry's) or does it have to be dark chocolate. Have loads of regular chocolate in my stash and wanna put them to some good use! :)

Anonymous said...

Hey John!

Can't find vanilla extract. Can I replace it with vanilla essence instead? If yes, in what quantity? Thanks!

Zahara said...

Hey John

I have got Lindt dark chocolate that has 85% cocoa content. You used one with 70% cocoa. Do I need to adjust the sugar content for my recipe? My guests don't like a dessert that's too bitter.

Chef John said...

Not sure what adding sugar would do to texture. I'd just get the chocolate you want and use that instead. I'm sure the 85% won't go to waste ;)

Anonymous said...

Thanks! I'll try this recipe with a usual chocolate and move to the dark chocolate later on for my friends who're into dark chocolates :)

Zahara said...

Sorry to bug you again John. Planning to make the dessert for my family tomorrow. Can I use milk chocolate instead (say Cadbury's Dairy Milk)?

Chef John said...

I don't think that type of choc works.

Unknown said...

I've made this 2x this past week! I think I figured out how to speed up the chilling process -- layer in 3-4 frozen rasberries at ever 1/2" of chocolate. Chills the molten chocolate from within. And, rasberries and chocolate -- absolutely divine! There's my heat transfer engineering education at work. ^_^

santista1963 said...

im poor, ugly, and can't play any instruments...i'm watching you 24/7

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John,
I would like if u post a recipe about hot chocolate (liquid) with marshmallows etc.

thank you

Anonymous said...

and i also wanted to know the whipped cream is not available in pakistan so could i add some milk into the heavy cream and make it liquidy.

thank you

Unknown said...

Chef John,

I tried this recipe last night and I used hersheys special dark because it was the fanciest chocolate I could find in this horrible place I'm stuck. I used heavy whipping cream (1 cup exactly) but I chopped the entire bar up and added it (4.5 oz). Every thing else was exact but the pot de creme refuses to set more than a thick pudding. It's the extra chocolate or did I wait too long to whip? I did a count in my head and so it may have been 70 or 80 seconds before whipping. I'm assuming it was one of those two things that have banjaxed my attempt. It's still delicious but I was looking for that exquisite texture.

Chef Jeremy (Stuck in Wisconsin)

Unknown said...

Like the above poster, my pot de creme also DID NOT SET. I used the correct ingredients and amounts, but even after 5 hours the result was a dripping pudding.

What did we do wrong Chef John?

Other recipes call for double the amount of chocolate.

Chef John said...

Sorry, but not sure what to tell you guys, other than I know it works with the amounts as shown in the video. Unless I saw you make it, and your ingredients, I couldn't diagnose what is wrong. Trust me when I say it's not the recipe since I'd have a hundred comments that it didn't work. 95% of the feedback from this one have been successful. It's generally the chocolate type, or the cream wasn't hot enough.

Aly Casilla said...

Cayenne!
Cayenne!
Cayenne!
Cayenne!

So yummy!

idigpotatoes said...

Chef John my husband has cooked this for me a number of times, it is my absolute favorite dessert. Today he cooked 5 batches to serve at a baby shower, we put it in disposable shot glasses. it was a HIT! thank you, thank you thank you.

Unknown said...

I am so gonna make this for my boyfriend! He is the one who usually cooks so I'm going to turn the tables an do some of the cooking for him on valentines!!! Thank you so much for the idea Chef John

Stephanie Devine said...

lol, reading some of these comments ,I'm laughing so hard it's redonkulous!!!

On another note Chef, I'm totally making this for my hubby on V-Day he's a chocolate junky and he's gonna love it.

P.S love everything i've tried of yours so far and always get great reviews...you're awsome!!!

Darman said...

Can you use Geridelli's 60%? that's the only type I've been able to find around where I live.

ChefJohnsBiggestFan said...

At Darman- Ya may not want that because it may not be rich enuf...need to be at least 70% cacao

Unknown said...

Chef John,
May this recipe be doubled for a larger crowd and what about layering in some Heath toffee bits to add another taste and texture to an already terrific recipe? Thanks as always.

Chef John said...

yes, you can double, and add anything you want! enjoy!

Locomotive_breath said...

Chef John

You are the real hero on my Valentine's day celebration. On the big day I made the Chocolate Pot de Creme with some hazelnut extract and it was a HUGE hit. The next day, I did an encore with mixed berries with Crème Anglaise sauce and it was an EVEN bigger hit. Oh yeah! I walked on water all weekend. I could do no wrong.

A very big thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Shantanu.

Locomotive_breath said...

Chef John

The moment I hit post after my last comment that I realized that so fixated was I on the dessert that I left out the wonder that was the main course! I made the drunken mussels but with a Thai red curry twist. It was inspired by your dish but I changed the flavours. The wife loved it and I have to make it again pretty soon.

Thanks again.

Unknown said...

Chef John
I used your recipe, added some rum, made pineapple coulis as the topping, deeeeelllliiiccciiioousss! Thank you!

Unknown said...

Chef,

My pot de creme was very grainy. Why is this?

Unknown said...

Chef John,

thank you very much for all your wonderful videos and recipes.

I would like to substitute the heavy cream with coconut milk. Do you think that this can work and if so, do you have any additional hint for that approach?

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Chef John, I tried the recipe last night, but the crème just never set. It was in the fridge for more than a day, and still it was very liquidy. Is there something else other than what you've described above that I should be doing? The FLAVOR was amazing, but I'm guessing it's the combination of texture AND flavor that sends this over the top.

Juniar Tjoeng said...

Hi Chef John!
I was wondering if I put in the fridge longer, will it firm up more so I can form balls for truffles? Or should I just use less cream?

Jerry said...

Sorry Chef John...this is a total loser. I did it exactly as you said . I am not a novice cook or baker and I LOVE everything you do ..except this. I was a bit nervous..it was never setting up and it never did even after 8 hours. Ruined an other wise ice Valentines day dinner..dessert was a bust .Liquid cold Ganache...good thing I made whipped cream that was way better than this .