Petits Pot de crème is a French dessert of a baked then chilled custard served in small ramekins. It translates to "little pot of cream," derived from the fact it is served in small dishes and its custard-like cream.
Pot de crème is made by with eggs, cream, milk, and a flavor, often vanilla. The mixture is then poured into ramekins which are then baked in a water bath.
The flavour of these petits pots comes from the vanilla pod used to infuse the milk.
For Chocolate Pots, add a tablespoon of cocoa and 60 grams melted dark chocolate to the milk instead of the vanilla.
For Coffee Pots, add a tablespoon of granulated coffee.
Petits Pots de Crème Recipe
(Adapted from The Food of France)
Ingredients
- 400 ml milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 80 g caster sugar
- Raspberries for garnish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C. Put the milk in a saucepan.
- Split the vanilla pot in two, scrape out the seeds and add the whole lot to the milk.
- Bring the milk just to the boil.
- Meanwhile, mix together the egg yolks, egg and sugar.
- Strain the boiling milk over the egg mixture and stir well.
- Skim off the surface to remove any foam.
- Ladle into 25 ml ramekins and place in a roasting tin.
- Pour enough hot water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the custards are firm to the touch.
- Leave the ramekins on a wire rack to cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Garnish with Raspberries.