Giving in to Dark Chocolate Custard -- Craquer pour un pot de crème au chocolat noir

Dark Chocolate Custard and its Colored Seasonal Fruit
Dark Chocolate Custard and its Colored Seasonal Fruit
"Is the recipe on your blog?" my friend H. asked after he finished his dessert, cleaning his glass so thoroughly that it clearly showed that he would happily have gone for a second serving. But for once, I actually did not make more than the number in our dinner group. There were only six desserts for the six of us sitting around our long dining-room table on last Friday night. "Not yet, but it will be soon," I replied, excited to find out that he had really enjoyed it. "Where did you buy these cookies?" he added, with his mouth full. "I love them!" I smiled. He was really enjoying the dessert, yet so simple to put together! "Ah ben c'est moi qui les ai faits!" (I made them!) I answered. "They are called langues de chat in French, literally cat's tongues." H. was sitting next to me and I just felt like starting to explain and talk about the dessert, carried away by the fact that he was interested and all ears. "C'est très simple en fait," I said (it is really simple). Simple and extremely satisfying, of the type of dessert where one or two extra spoonfuls always seem to be necessary, as proven by H. desperately dipping his spoon deep in the glass, in the hope of finding more. For a second, I even thought that he might have done just like my dog used to do: lick the bottom. "It is just a simple custard, you know, with dark chocolate, milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar. The important thing is to never let the cream boil, otherwise it is over," I went on. H. looked at me and burst loudly into a laughter. "It is over," he said, repeating my words. "I love the way you say this. It is over!" "C'est vraiment fini!" "So can you have little bubbles?" he then asked seriously. It was my turn to look at him and laugh. "Bubbles? No H.! Bubbles means boiling. Didn't I just say it should never boil?" Of course you can always save a custard (rattraper une crème anglaise) if it boils (quand elle tourne), that is when the egg yolks boil. To do so, simply pour the cream in a glass bottle and shake energetically for 2 to 3 min, or place it in a cold recipient and whip with an electrical mixer. The custard will be smooth and creamy again. A few days later, I received an email from T., H.'s wife, to thank us for dinner. And this was how it ended: "H. is actually trying to make the dessert as I am writing" . I wonder how it went -- considering H. did not then have the full recipe -- and whether he actually let the cream make bubbles or not! I have asked but H. has not yet answered. I wonder now...
Dark Chocolate Custard and Colored Seasonal Fruit
(For 6 servings)
You need:
  • 6 egg yolks*
  • 1/2 cup (3 1/5 oz) organic blond cane sugar
  • 4 1/4 oz dark chocolate, 70% or 64% cocoa, according to taste (I used Valrhona)
  • 1 2/3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup minus 1 Tbsp heavy cream
  • Colored seasonal fruits as you prefer, such as raspberries, blueberries, peaches, plums or apricots
* you will use the egg whites for the Langues de chat, Cat's Tongues Steps:
  • Break the chocolate in pieces and melt in a double boiler (or place in a bowl over a pot full of simmering water).
  • In a pot, heat the cream and milk on medium heat, until first gentle boil. Stop.
  • Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until white and airy.
  • Add the melted chocolate to the egg/sugar mixture. Mix well.
  • Add the hot milk/cream and continue to mix with a wooden spoon.
  • Pour the cream in the pot again. Heat on low to medium to thicken the cream (do never let boil), never ceasing to mix. The cream is ready when it coats the spoon.
  • Pour the cream in small glasses or ramekins and let cool completely before covering with plastic wrap and placing in the fridge. The cream thickens even more when it cools and is cold.
  • When you are ready to serve, slice your fruit and serve with the chocolate custard, and cat's tongues (vanilla and Matcha tea, recipe soon to follow).
Le coin français
Pots de crème au chocolat noir et ses fruits colorés de saison
(Pour 6 personnes)
Ingrédients :
  • 6 jaunes d'oeuf*
  • 90 g de sucre de canne
  • 120 g de chocolat noir à 64 ou 70 % de cacao, selon goût (j'ai utilisé Valrhona)
  • 400 ml de lait entier
  • 100 ml de crème liquide
  • Fruits colorés de saison selon envie, tels que framboises, mûres, pêches, prunes ou abricots
* vous utiliserez les blancs d'oeuf pour confectionner les Langues de chat Étapes :
  • Cassez le chocolat grossièrement en morceaux et faites le fondre au bain-marie.
  • Dans une casserole, faites chauffer le lait et la crème sur feu moyen.
  • Battez les jaunes d'oeuf avec le sucre jusqu'à blanchiment.
  • Ajoutez le chocolat fondu au mélange oeufs et sucre, et mélangez bien.
  • Versez le lait chaud et continuez à mélanger avec une cuiller en bois.
  • Remettez la crème au chocolat dans une casserole sur le feu, et faites épaissir sur feu doux à moyen en remuant constamment, sans jamais laisser la crème bouillir. La crème est prête une fois qu'elle nappe la cuiller.
  • Versez la crème dans des petits verres ou des ramequins, et laissez-la refroidir complètement avant de la filmer et de la mettre au frigo. Elle épaissit en refroidissant.
  • Au moment de servir, coupez vos fruits et servez-les avec la crème, et des langues de chat vanille et thé matcha (recette à venir)

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31 Comments

  • s'kat ·

    Oh yeah, Bea, it will be my pleasure to give in to the dark side! Just finished reading over your amazing and beautiful journey, what a lucky girl you are!

  • Sophie ·

    Comment veux-tu réister à un truc pareil ? Bien vu les petites langues de chat pour décupler le plaisir gourmand !

  • Linn ·

    I think your blog is really cute! And this simple chocolate custard seems perfect for an easy dessert with a lot of wow-factor...

  • Tartelette ·

    Quelle belle recette et dessert tout simple a partager en amis. La lumiere sur les photos est tres bien amenee au dessus du fruit. Superbes!

  • Pille ·

    Chocolate custard and fresh fruit - yummmm!!! (PS Love the piece of cloth you're using on the picture - so fragile!)

  • Kat ·

    this sounds so wonderful and fresh fruit, mmm!

  • veronica ·

    oups mais justement j'ai des jaunes en trop mais quel heureux et gourmand hasard

  • Anita ·

    Very cute story! And I love how you describe your custard -so simple but so delightful!

  • veron ·

    I can just visually taste that lovely creation. Everything about it looks perfect!

  • [jessica] ·

    Great photo - loved the story!! I like how you use French and English. This is my first time visiting your blog, and i just love it!!!

  • Robyn Vickers ·

    Beautiful! And what better way to enjoy the last of the Summer fruits?! When in doubt ... Chocolate! N'est-ce pas?

  • YOYO's FOOD ·

    i enjoy it~ so YUM!!

  • mercotte ·

    Encore une superbe recette toute simple toute belle !

  • Eleonora ·

    rien de tel que le chocolat pour se remonter le moral, merci du partage et à bientôt

  • bergeou ·

    ça y est j'ai craqué ausi ;)

  • Deb ·

    I surely enjoyed your story and your photos are fantastic!

  • MyKitchhenInHalfCups ·

    Béa, Is that something like what part of no (boil) does someone not understand. Bubbles . . . fun story. And cat's tongues, now those are good - I've made them long ago, when it seems long ago because thinking about them makes me think they'd be good today. Alas, no pans and a poor oven in Seattle - must wait for Dallas.

  • peabody ·

    I love how the fruit lightens up the brown chocolate.

  • Fabienne ·

    Quelle excellente idée que l'association chocolat fruits, le chocolat pour la gourmandise et les fruits pour la forme !

  • Hillary ·

    Aah!! I really owe your friend "H" one. This recipe is fantastic! I love how you top it with all sorts of fruits. Mmmm....

  • Mijo ·

    Je craque pour tellement de choses que je veux bien craquer pour ce dessert. Alors en sais-tu un peu plus sur l'essai de crème de ton ami ?

  • chanelle ·

    YUM! funny story - tempting dessert! :)

  • Thérèse ·

    Je viens de les essayer hier entre copines, on s'est régalées! Merci pour la recette.

  • Amy ·

    This looks delicious! I would definitely have 2 servings. :) Do we get a recipe for the Cat's Tongues too?

  • R khooks ·

    Trop mignon the little story, Bea. You can't beat simple things. Did you use fairtrade chocolate? They would make a great entry for the Stop the Traffik chocolate compeition .

  • Béa ·

    Merci bien tout le monde. Thanks everyone. Rachel, I tried to find fairtrade chocolate, but not sure I was successful (the labels were never so clear. In France, it is more obvious it seems). I used Valrhona.

  • vanessa ·

    j'en fais souvent que je fais glacer dans des pts moules à esquimaux (tupperware), c'est une merveille !

  • HolyBasil ·

    Salut Beatrice! What a wonderful site you have and such luscious photos. I was dreaming about chocolate pots de creme and here they are, on your lovely blog. C'est incroyable :)

  • Mélanie ·

    Je vais craquer ..et dire que je suis au régime ...I don't care je vais essayer tout de même

  • Amanda ·

    Looks delish- your pictures are amazing! But where are the cats tongues??

  • Erin ·

    Thank you thank you thank you! You just saved the day! I made a custard (different recipe) just this past hour and my baby was crying, so I turned it to the lowest setting and went to him... and when I returned, it was curdled! :( I was very upset, as it's for my mum's birthday tonight... then I googled 'save custard' and found this page. I put it into a bowl inside another bowl of ice and cold water and used the electric mixer... and it worked! I was about to throw it in the bin, so thank you!!! Erin, Australia