chocolate pots de crème with poached pear, olive oil, caramel

Chocolate pots de crème are similar to creme brulee, in that they are baked custard.  Careful not to over bake them, since that makes them quite icky.  This would be a great Valentine’s Day recipe, that you can make at home, and spare all the folks in restaurants who are totally slammed, and you can avoid having to overhear people having really awkward, and pressured dates.

1.0 chocolate pots de crème

Ingredients:

• 200 grams       ________________ cream
• 100 grams ________________ milk
• 3  __________________ egg yolks
• 1  __________________ eggs (whole)
• 100 grams  __________________ dark chocolate (melted)
• 30 grams ___________________ olive oil
• 1 _________________________ vanilla bean (or 1 tsp extract)
• 20  grams  ________________ sugar

Instructions:

• Turn the oven on, to 325°F
• Put a kettle or pan of water, on to boil.
• Place a pan that all the ramekins will fit in, in the oven to pre-heat
• Boil the cream and milk, with the vanilla bean.  Meanwhile:
• Butter 4 ramekins (6 or 7 oz ramekins), and coat with sugar.
• Turn off the cream and milk, and let steep.
• Whisk the egg yolks, and egg, with sugar.
• Slowly add the hot milk mixture to the eggs to temper.
• Once all the milk is mixed into the eggs, whisk in the chocolate, and olive oil.
• Pour mixture into the prepared ramekins.
• Take the hot pan out of the oven, and put the ramekins in.
• Place in the oven, and carefully pour the boiling water into the pan.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.
• Check at 15 minutes, if the middle is just a bit wobbly, it is done.  If it is super liquid, give it a few more minutes.

2.0 Poached Pears & Caramel

Ingredients:

• 2   ________________ Pears (bosc or anjou work best)
• ¹⁄₂ cups ________________ sugar or vanilla sugar
• 2 TBSP ________________ butter
• 1 oz  __________________ Armagnac or cognac
• spritz of lemon juice
• For the Caramel Topping
• ¹⁄₂ cups ________________ sugar
• ¹⁄₂ cups ________________ cream

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350° F
• Peel, and core the pears.
• Slice in half, and place in foil, in a pan, cut side up, spritz with lemon juice.
• Sprinkle with sugar.
• Place small pieces of butter in the hollowed out area where there were previously seeds.
• Pour the Armagnac into the pan.
• Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Cool and slice the pears.
• Caramel
• Get a clean sauce pan – high sides is better, since it will bubble up when the cream is added.
• Place the pan over high heat, and sprinkle in just enough sugar to cover the bottom.
• When the sugar starts to liquefy, add a little bit in.
• Using a heat safe spatula, very very gently move the sugar around so it melts evenly, but doesn’t crystallize.
• Don’t worry if it starts to be caramel colored – just add more unmelted sugar, slowly and carefully.
• Once the sugar is all added, turn the heat off, but leave it on the hot burner.
• Slowly add the cream.
• Return to heat if it clumps too much, and whisk to smooth the caramel.

Assemble:

• Slice the poached pears.
• Cover the top of the pots de creme with caramel, and sprinkle with some sea salt.
• Place the pear on top.
• Serve cool, room temp, or slightly warm, either way is tasty.