Mocha Pots de Creme
Calling all chocolate lovers! This mocha pots de creme recipe is quite the decadent dessert with its delicious chocolate and espresso flavors as well as its silky smooth texture. An easy and impressive dessert to make for any holiday or to cozy up with a cup of coffee.
What is Pots de Creme?
A pots de creme is a French custard dessert. It uses a creme anglaise as it’s base and is baked similar to a creme brulee. The result is a silky smooth, pudding-like custard just without the brulee’d top. However, what makes this an easy pots de creme recipe, is it does not require any baking and relies on the chocolate to help firm up the custard. The best part about this pots de creme recipe, is that it is naturally gluten free.
The Origin Of Pots de Creme
Coming from 17th century France, Pot de Creme translates to “pot of cream” and was served in a little, lidded pot. The French did not use the terminology “custard” so all custards were called “creme” like creme brûlée for example. The traditional flavor was vanilla, however the most popular flavor is chocolate. See more on pots de creme here!
Mocha Pots de Creme Ingredients
- Espresso powder: I prefer to use instant espresso powder since it’s super easy to steep and mix in.
- Dark chocolate: While I love deep, dark chocolate, but since espresso is bitter, I use a lower percentage dark chocolate for better balance. I would not go higher than 70%.
- Cocoa nibs: This is purely optional as a garnish, however, I do think adding the crunch balances out the creaminess of the dessert.
This easy mocha pots de creme recipes uses up a lot of egg yolks so be sure to check out my egg white heavy recipes to use up those extra whites!
Major Allergens Present: Dairy, eggs
Equipment Needed
If you don’t have a mixer then no problem! This is one my few recipes that does not use a mixer.
- 4 oz ramekins: Used to portion the mocha pots de creme recipe in. This recipe makes four 4-ounce pots de creme, so be sure to adjust the recipe if your ramekins are larger or smaller.
How to Make No Bake Mocha Pots de Creme:
What is Mocha Pots de Creme Made Out Of?
This easy mocha pots de creme recipe is a no bake custard dessert with espresso and chocolate flavors. At its core, this recipe utilizes a creme anglaise mixed with dark chocolate and chilled until firm, creamy, and dreamy. It’s a lovely pairing with a cup of coffee or espresso in the afternoon, or just an easy yet impressive dessert to serve for friends.
Make the espresso creme anglaise base
Many custard desserts, like this mocha pots de creme recipe, use a classic creme anglaise base. A creme anglaise is boiling dairy (with any flavorings), tempering into eggs, cooking until it coats the back of a spoon (called nappé) or until it is 170-180*F, and then cooling over an ice bath to prevent carryover cooking. Tempering is the act of slowly trying to match two different textures or temperatures to prevent shock. This is a classic technique for sauces, custard desserts, and ice cream bases; know it well.
When I set up my ice bath, I add the chocolate to the smaller bowl in the ice bath and place the strainer on top. This way the chocolate helps to further prevent any carryover cooking while also getting a head start on melting and incorporating.
Add chocolate, portion, and chill
Once your espresso creme anglaise base is ready, immediately strain into the ice bath with the chocolate. Allow to sit for a couple minutes then start whisking until smooth. Pour immediately into your ramekins and lightly bang each one on the table to remove any air bubbles. Uncovered, place in the fridge to firm up for at least two hours.
Finish the easy mocha pots de creme with garnishes
While you can enjoy this easy pots de creme recipe without any garnishes, it is still nice to add some textural differences to really make this decadent chocolate dessert pop. First, the vanilla whipped cream helps add a little sweetness to the bitterness of the chocolate and espresso, and second, cocoa nibs add a little crunch to balance the creaminess. You can also do some shaved chocolate. Serve chilled and store covered for up to four days.
Getting hung up or lost on all the baking terminology? Study up here.
Help Making Mocha Pots de Creme:
How to make creme anglaise:
- Always prep all of your ingredients beforehand and have them at arms length while cooking your anglaise which includes a thermometer if you’re unsure of what nappe or “to coat the back of a spoon” means.
- Combine the dairy with your flavorings, and bring to a boil on high heat. While you’re waiting, prepare your ice bath by filling a bowl with one part water and three parts ice. Place a smaller bowl inside with the chocolate, and top with a fine mesh strainer. Have that close by and at the ready.
- Slowly pour a small amount of your boiling dairy into your combined sugar and egg yolks while you whisk constantly. The technical term for this process is tempering. Switch to spatula for the next parts.
- Return your egg mixture into your pot of dairy, and reduce the heat to medium low so the cooking doesn’t go too fast. While it cooks, you’ll want to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot with your spatula so you don’t curdle those areas that are usually in direct contact with the heat source. Once it coats the back of your spoon or reaches 170*F, immediately remove from heat and pour into your strainer over the ice bath. Stir on occasion so you distribute the coldness evenly.
- Check out this post for more details on how to make creme anglaise.
Enhancing This Pots de Creme Recipe:
- Don’t like coffee? Replace the espresso powder with one tablespoon of earl grey tea! Allow to steep in the dairy before any tempering.
- Add some thick caramel sauce or raspberry jam to the bottom of the ramekins for an additional flavor.
How to Store and Freeze Mocha Pots de Creme
- You cannot freeze pots de creme.
- Store the finished espresso chocolate pots de creme in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days.
- Serve cold.
Troubleshooting Mocha Pots de Creme:
- My anglaise base has chunks in it! You over cooked it before straining into the chocolate! You will have to start over, unfortunately. Next time, only cook it until it reaches 175*F and coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT let it come to a boil. Check out this post on how to make creme anglaise.
Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!
Mocha Pots de Creme
Equipment
- 4 4-ounce ramekins
- 1 Ice bath with fine mesh strainer
- 1 Digital thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 226 g Heavy cream
- 226 g Whole milk
- 1 Tbs Instant espresso powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 5 ea Egg yolks
- 1½ Tbs Granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 170 g Dark chocolate
Optional Garnishes
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 Tbs Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ⅛ cup Cocoa nibs
Instructions
- Setup your ice bath with 1 part water and 4 parts ice. Set a smaller bowl with your chocolate inside and place a fine mesh strainer on top. Set aside but close by.
- Combine the heavy cream, milk, espresso powder, and vanilla in a small pot and bring to a boil.
- While waiting for your dairy to boil, whisk together the sugar with the egg yolks in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Temper the boiled dairy into the egg mixture by whisking a small amount of dairy into the egg yolks and returning it all to the pot. Reduce the temperature to medium low and switch to a spatula.
- While constantly stirring with a spatula, cook the custard until nappe (coats the back of a spoon) or until 170℉.
- Immediately pour through the mesh strainer into your ice bath over the chocolate. Allow to sit for a couple minutes then whisk until smooth while still in the ice bath.
- Portion immediately into ramekins and lightly bang on the table to remove any air bubbles. Allow to chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Before serving, whip the heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar until stiff peaks and then place a spoonful on top of the mocha pots de creme. Sprinkle some cocoa nibs on top and serve chilled.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can you freeze pot de creme? No. You cannot freeze pots de creme.
- How do you pronounce pot de creme? It is pronounced “POH – deh – krem” with the t and s when plural silent.
- How long does pot de creme last? This easy mocha pots de creme recipe lasts 4 days in the fridge.
Have another question? Reach out and I’ll try to answer it for you!
