Spiced chocolate pots du creme

Despite the name it is just a fun chocolate baked pudding, otherwise known as a custard.

INGREDIENTS

1 pt heavy whipping cream

1/4 c milk

1/8 c espresso or strong coffee

5.2 oz dark chocolate

1 c sugar (can be made with stevia)

8 egg yolks

1/2 t cinnamon

1 t vanilla

1/8 t nutmeg

1/8 t chipotle

DIRECTIONS

1). Melt chocolate in milk, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and chipotle over medium heat, stirring constantly-remove from heat when homogenous

2). Beat egg yolks with sugar until light in color and thick

3). Beat whipping cream into egg/sugar mix

4). Slowly mix all of chocolate mixture into egg mixture

5). Pour equal amounts if custard, about 1 cup each, into oven safe ramekins.  Place ramekins in 2" deep baking dish and place in a 350 oven.  Pour hot water in baking dish to level even with custard, making certain not to get water into custard and bake for about 1 hour, or until knife inserted comes out clean.  

6). Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour, preferably 24 hours as it allows the spices to fully blend.  Do not cover until completely cool

7). Remove from refrigerator and serve

NOTES

This is beautifully dense, almost fudgy in texture.  If you want a lighter texture whip the whipping cream and fold everything into it instead of mixing it directly with the eggs and sugar.

I also did a version with stevia instead of sugar and it turned out just fine.  As someone who does not use alternative sugars I did not care for the taste.  But, the friends I made it for is diabetic and used to stevia.  I was surprised he did not lick his ramekin clean.  He gladly took the extras home.