Decadent and silky Chocolate Pots de Crème with a sweet caramelized top are veritable chocolate cremes brûlée — custard that is perfectly creamy, sweet, with that crunchy sugar shell!
My dad and I used to play this game where we’d plan out our best and last meal on Earth. Morbid, I know, but it was kind of fun, especially since we are both foodies. If I am ever faced with the decision of my last meal on Earth, there’s no doubt in my mind that these Chocolate Pots de Crème (please say that in a heavy French accent) would be on the list.
If you like creme brûlée then you’re going to be slap-yo-momma happy when you try these bad boys.
Creme brûlée is the only dessert that I ever care to order at a nice restaurant. Cake, pie, cheesecake…those things don’t tempt me. But offer me creme brûlée and all bets are off.
I don’t know what it is about creme brûlée that I love so much. Maybe because it’s sweet but not too sweet. It’s creamy but not like my kids’ pudding cup. Or maybe it’s that crunchy sugar shell that I get to break open with my spoon. Whatever it is, I freakin’ love it.
What Is Tagatose?
These Chocolate Pots de Creme are essentially a chocolate creme brûlée. When I discovered Sukrin USA products a while back, I found out that they carry a sweetener called tagatose. Since this is probably a new word for you, let me explain:
Tagatose is a natural sweetener similar to erythritol. It has a very low glycemic index making it ideal for low-carb and sugar-free diets. Tagatose is about 92% as sweet as sugar so it can easily be converted into sugar-free recipes.
The super-fun part about tagatose is that it crystallizes and caramelizes like real sugar! Sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, or monk fruit don’t melt down in the same way as sugar and can leave a weird aftertaste in your mouth (i.e. the cooling effect). Tagatose has zero aftertaste! Because it’s so similar to sugar, it’s an excellent replacement in coffee, tea, and baked goods.
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup Sukrin Icing Sugar
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 oz sugar-free chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 tsp tagatose
- water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk the Sukrin Icing Sugar into the egg yolks. Set aside
- Microwave the chocolate chips in a small bowl in 10-second intervals until melted. Set aside.
- In a small pan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat. Be careful not to boil or burn the cream.
- When the cream is warm to the touch, remove it from the heat. Use a tablespoon to temper the eggs by slowly whisking in 1 tablespoon of the warm cream into the eggs. Repeat this step 2 more times to fully temper the eggs.
- Add the melted chocolate to the heavy cream and whisk until smooth.
- Slowly add the egg yolks to the cream and whisk until smooth and silky. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Line the ramekins on a baking sheet with a rim. Carefully fill each ramekin with the custard. They should be about 2/3 full.
- Extend the oven rack so that it is exposed outside of the oven. Carefully place the baking sheet on the rack. Add water to the sheet pan so that the ramekins are halfway covered. This amount will vary depending on the size of your ramekin. Be careful not to get water in the pots.
- Carefully slide the oven rack into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. The centers should be slightly jiggly when finished. Do not over-bake.
- Let the custards chill on the counter for 30 minutes before placing in the refrigerator. Let them cool in the refrigerator for an additional 90 minutes, up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the tagatose on top of the custard. Use a kitchen torch to scorch the crystals until a hard shell is formed.
All of the products used in this recipe can be found online at LeGaia, Sukrin’s brand new online store! It’s beautiful and carries all kinds of wonderful sugar free and keto friendly products. I LOVE the No Sugar Added Jam !
Chocolate Pots de Creme
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- [1/4 cup Sukrin Icing Sugar]
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 3 ounces sugar free chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- [6 teaspoons tagatose]
- water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a small bowl, whisk the Sukrin Icing Sugar into the egg yolks. Set aside
- Microwave the chocolate chips in a small bowl in 10 second intervals until melted. Set aside.
- In a small pan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat. Be careful not to boil or burn the cream.
- When the cream is warm to the touch, remove it from the heat. Use a tablespoon to temper the eggs by slowly whisking in 1 tablespoon of the warm cream into the eggs. Repeat this step 2 more times to fully temper the eggs.
- Add the melted chocolate to the heavy cream and whisk until smooth.
- Slowly add the egg yolks to the cream and whisk until smooth and silky. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Line the ramekins on a baking sheet with a rim. Carefully fill each ramekin with the custard. They should be about 2/3 full.
- Extend the oven rack so that it is exposed outside of the oven. Carefully place the baking sheet on the rack. Add water to the sheet pan so that the ramekins are halfway covered. This amount will vary depending on the size of your ramekin. Be careful not to get water in the pots.
- Carefully slide the oven rack into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. The centers should be slightly jiggly when finished. Do not over bake.
- Let the custards chill on the counter for 30 minutes before placing in the refrigerator. Let them cool in the refrigerator 1 and a half additional hours, up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the tagatose on top of the custard. Use a kitchen torch to scorch the crystals until a hard shell is formed.
Video
Nutrition
FAQs
Tempering is the process of adding warm liquid to the eggs to gradually raise their temperature, all the while whisking. The purpose of tempering is to prevent the eggs from curdling or scrambling when you add them to a hot mixture. When eggs are put on high heat too quickly, their proteins coagulate and form lumps, which is not what we want in our cremes. By tempering the eggs, our desserts will maintain their creaminess.
The biggest culprit is the length you cooked them for. You don’t want to under- or over-cook them, as both will result in a runny pot. Also make sure you used the right ratio of ingredients. This can affect the pots’ texture. Last, how long did they chill for? Perhaps try leaving them in the fridge for a couple of more hours.
You can use whipping cream but I wouldn’t try anything other than that. A lower M.F. (milk fat) will affect the consistency and make result in runny pots.
Aside from the tagatose I used Sukrin Icing Sugar, which is essentially powdered erythritol. I wanted the custard to be very silky and the icing sugar is the perfect sweetener for that. Sukrin uses a very small amount of steviol glycosides to achieve the perfect sweetness level. You don’t have to worry about the heavy cooling effect with every bite!
How To Store Pots de Creme
Cover each pot with plastic wrap then store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. Be sure to give them their space, as their delicate top can be broken if knocked or something is set on them. While you CAN freeze the pots, I recommend not doing so, as this will affect the texture and turn the custard grainy. If you do freeze them, make sure they are tightly wrapped. Let them thaw in the fridge for several hours to overnight. The ingredients may have separated so you should give them a little stir.
