Tags: Chocolate Sweet Tooth

I was with a friend the other day and we were talking about desserts. We both agreed that cake in itself isn’t all that great, but that ooey, gooey goodness found in things like pie, mousse, and cobbler is the stuff dreams are made of.

When we moved to Virginia the first time, I fell in love with Southern culture and fully embraced my inner Southern girl. And although I’m Californian through and through, the more time I spent in the South and the more I got to know the culture, the more I realized I had an inner Southern girl just waiting to be unleashed

*Side Note: I also began to realize that I had been raised by a VERY Southern Mama. Though raised in California, she was born to, and raised by, my Missourian Grandmother. The more I learned about Southern women and culture, the more I realized my Mama was Southern in her soul—making sun tea every day, always hounding me and my sister about sending thank you notes, and frequently using Southern expressions and idioms…some of that Missouri rubbed off.

Anyway…I read an article in Southern Living (yes, I signed up for a subscription to make sure all my Southern T’s were crossed and Southern I’s were dotted) about classic Southern desserts and why every Southern Bell worth her salt had these recipes in her repertoire. After all, they’re classics for a reason. Well, I tried them ALL! Peach cobbler, pecan pie, buttermilk pie, lemon pound cake, and of course, the perfect chocolate chip cookie. But one stood out among them: Chocolate Pot De Crème

Growing up I wasn’t a fan of chocolate—I lived on sour licorice and only liked desserts with fruit in them. I didn’t really appreciate chocolate until I married Adrian. Adrian LOVES dark chocolate…we always have it in the pantry, and he breaks off bits throughout the day…a habit Liev has inherited. Every time he’d break off a piece for himself, he’d offer me one. I declined at first, then gradually began accepting it, whenever I wanted a little something sweet. Despite my apathy for chocolate, I tried this recipe. And boy, am I glad I did. A cross between a pudding and a mousse, the Pot De Crème can be made in a variety of delicious flavors and is just an ooey gooey pot of heaven. It’s the perfect dessert.

After falling head-over-heels for the “Southern Classic” Chocolate Pot De Crème, I threw caution to the wind and tried as many Pot De Crème recipe variations as I could—salted dark chocolate, vanilla bean, chocolate peanut butter and salted caramel. Then I stumbled across a puck of Mexican hot chocolate chocolate, and you better believe I tried that bad boy out in a Pot De Crème. Oh, Lord have mercy it was HEAVEN!! If you love Mexican hot chocolate like I do, then you’ll love this recipe. It’s rich and creamy with undertones of cinnamon and not super sweet (so you can eat the entire “Pot” without feeling too guilty!)

Mexican Pot De Crème

For the pot de crème:

• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 disks Mexican hot chocolate, finely chopped
• 6 oz. dark chocolate (at least 60%), finely chopped
• 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

To top the pot de crème:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Ground cinnamon

How to:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk and cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool (warm, not hot—you don’t want to scramble the eggs).

In a small bowl, add the egg yolks and beat to combine. Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture. Transfer the milk/egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until completely incorporated.

Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate has completely melted and is completely incorporated.

Pour mixture through a fine sieve and into a large spouted measuring cup. Divide the mixture between 6 small pots (or 3 large ones…I won’t judge) and refrigerate until mixture is completely chilled—overnight or at least 6 hours.

When ready to serve, pour 1 cup heavy whipping cream into bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Serve your pots with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

**Or don’t serve them at all…hide them in the fridge beneath a large bunch of kale and just tell your guests they came out awful. Not that I’ve ever done that…