Let’s talk dessert. I love dessert. When I have the time and inclination to pour my heart and soul into a homemade concoction that involves four mixing bowls, six spoons, and all the measuring cups in the kitchen, it is glorious. But sometimes, well, I just don’t. Here’s one of my favorite make-ahead recipes that uses just five ingredients and takes less than ten minutes to throw together: Pots de Crème. You need a blender, a bag of chocolate chips, 4 eggs, vanilla extract, and a cup of hot coffee. Oh, and a pinch of salt.
I first found this recipe on the Pioneer Woman’s website, but I’ve made it so many times it is now ingrained in my memory. If I’m entertaining an upscale crowd, I like to put the Pots de Crème in martini glasses; if it’s a casual night, I use 4 oz canning jars or ramekins. Either way, remember that a little goes a long way with this dessert. Pots de Crème are decadent even for the most chocolate-loving chocoholics, so leave plenty of room for the whipped cream on top.
Step 1: Chocolate.
Pour one bag of chocolate chips into your blender. I usually use semi-sweet, but my husband prefers dark chocolate.
Step 2: Crack.
Crack 4 whole eggs on top of the chocolate, and add about a teaspoon of vanilla extract. If you want to get crazy, you can substitute some sort of alcohol for the vanilla. Add a pinch of salt.
Step 3: Brew.
Make a cup of hot coffee. Don’t tell anyone, but I usually just use instant coffee. You can buy individual packets of instant Starbucks coffee at Costco, which makes me feel fancy while going the easy route.
Step 4: Blend!
Put the top on your blender and turn it on. Note – this step makes a racket, so I don’t recommend it while anyone in your house is sleeping.
Step 5: Melt.
Once the chocolate chips have been chopped up nicely, slowly pour in the hot coffee while the blender is running. The coffee will melt the chips and pull the whole thing together. Turn up the speed on your blender for a minute or two until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
Step 6: Pour.
Pour the chocolate into your selected serving dishes, and stick them all in the fridge to set. They need about four hours to really firm up.
Step 7: Whip.
Whip up some heavy cream and throw some big dollops on top of each serving. Since the pots de crème are dense and sweet, I leave my whipped cream unsweetened for that light, creamy contrast. You can dress up your dessert with chocolate shavings or crushed peppermint candies if you have time, but there’s no need to go the extra mile. This dessert showcases just fine as-is.