Desserts like these show that you can have your low carb treats and eat them too. Custards are great because they don’t require much change to the recipe, and the cooking process dissolves the erythritol, getting rid of that cooling sensation that many of us simply aren’t big fans of.
As always, with a dish like this that has chocolate front and center, use good quality chocolate. You don’t have to spend your savings, however. Most grocery stores (that I’ve seen, anyway) carry Lindt Excellence, which is fabulous and affordable.
For anyone who hates using a water bath when baking a custard, this recipe is for you. You’ll have to stand at the stove and stir for about ten minutes, but that’s a small price to pay for not having to wrestle with a large pan filled with hot water.
This make-ahead dessert would be a fabulous end to a holiday dinner.
Chocolate Pots de Crème
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
10 ounces 72 or 85% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped*
5 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons erythritol
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¾ cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Place chocolate in heatproof bowl; set sieve over bowl and set aside.
Whisk yolks, erythritol, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk in heavy cream and half-and-half. Transfer to medium saucepan and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until thickened. The custard should register about 175*F on a candy thermometer.
Immediately pour custard through sieve and allow the custard to sit for five minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth, then whisk in vanilla and espresso. Divide among 8 dessert cups or ramekins and tap on counter to remove air bubbles.
Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a minimum of four hours, or up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature 20-30 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with berries or currants, if desired.
*The higher the percentage of cacao, the lower the carb content. I used 72% for this recipe because I was sharing with a friend who was not restricting his intake of sugar.
Nutritional Analysis, not including the chocolate: 36.5 g total carbohydrate; 4.6 g carbohydrate per serving.