POTS DE CRÈME

POTS DE CRÈME
History, Recipe, & Dining Instructions

HISTORY

Following the introduction of European Meissen porcelain in the eighteenth century, sets of china tableware became highly sought after by anyone who could afford them.  Sometimes comprising more than two thousand pieces, porcelain dinner services were a symbol of wealth and power – Catherine the Great, of Russia, was said to have owned several sets, each with enough pieces to serve sixty guests.

At a regal European dinner feast, especially in France, it was not uncommon to see twenty or thirty dishes for each of seven or eight courses.  Among these courses was consommé, a rich reduction of the stock from a roast, which was served in individual pots a jus – tiny, lidded cups with a single handle.  The lid kept the broth hot, while the handle allowed diners to drink directly from the cup.  This flavorful bouillon was a popular element of formal French dinners.

However, when members of the British aristocracy began to import elaborate china dinnerware in the early nineteenth century, the consommé course was unfamiliar to them, so the use of the pots a jus was unknown.  Many collectors and historians believe that the Brits instead used the pretty porcelain vessels to serve sweet custard during the dessert course.  

It is not known whether the change of function for these diminutive pieces truly originated in Great Britain, but, in time, their sole purpose switched from holding broth to holding custard, or crème, and their moniker became pots de crème.  Pieces dating back to the early- and mid-eighteenth century were almost certainly crafted to be pots a jus and usually have a delicate handle, as well as a lid with a small finial.  Cups produced in the 1800s sometimes have handles and lids, but many have neither, signifying that they were made specifically for custard.

Although pot de crème cups date back a few centuries, luscious custard has a much longer history.  The use of eggs and cream as a dessert can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when custard was most commonly used as a filling for tarts.  In fact, the word custard is derived from the Middle English word crustarde, “a tart with a crust.”

BAKING DIRECTIONS

This silky dessert is a big step up from your basic pudding - it eats more like the center of a really good chocolate truffle.

2  (4-ounce) 70% cacao extra bittersweet chocolate baking bar (240 grams), finely chopped

l/2  cup (92 grams) sugar

2  2/3  cups half-and-half

6  large egg yolks

4  tablespoons (24 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

3  tablespoons hazelnut liqueur

1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Chocolate Whipped Cream (recipe follows)

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place chocolate and sugar in a medium glass bowl.

2.  In a small saucepan, bring half-and-half to a boil.  Pour over chocolate, and let stand for 5 minutes.  Whisk until smooth.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cocoa, hazelnut liqueur, vanilla, and salt.  Whisk in melted chocolate mixture until smooth.  Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup.

4.  Place 8 (4-ounce) custard cups or ramekins in a 13 X 9-inch baking pan.  Pour hot water in pan halfway up sides of ramekins, making sure not to get water in chocolate mixture.

5.  Bake until custard centers are slightly set, about 30 minutes.  Carefully remove from water.  Let cool completely; cover and refrigerate overnight.  Serve with Chocolate Whipped Cream OR Serve with plain Whipped Cream.

Chocolate Whipped Cream

l/2  cup heavy whipping cream

2  tablespoons (20 grams) confectioners' sugar

2  tablespoons (12 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until fluffy.  Serve immediately with Pots de Crème.

DINING INSTRUCTIONS

Scoop the pots de crème with a pots de crème spoon (shown in picture).  You may also use a demitasse spoon or a teaspoon.  Scoop from side to side moving from the right to the left side of the bowl.  Scoop in small amounts and insert spoon into mouth with tip first.  Put the spoon down each time you take a spoonful, or you may hold it for short periods of time.  Using a "clock" as your guide, when you put the spoon down, place it in its' resting position which is in the bowl at 5 o'clock with spoon bowl facing up.  The finished position for the spoon is 5 o'clock on the plate with spoon bowl facing up.  If there is no plate underneath the bowl, leave the spoon in the bowl at 5 o'clock.

The picture below describes the usage of a soup spoon, but the rest and finished positions are the same for a pots de crème spoon or a teaspoon.