salted caramel pots de creme

Pots de Creme Recipe (Salted Caramel Flavor)

Pots de creme, pronounced po de krehm, is a type of French dessert custard that is, in my opinion, one of the utmost divine French desserts around. This sweet treat is best described as a cross between pudding and flan.

Pots de Creme Recipe

Pots de creme is usually made with chocolate (check out my chocolate pot de creme recipe here) and topped with fresh whipped cream for an indulgent, sweet treat. It’s very similar to chocolate pudding in texture, yet is more stiff than a classic pudding recipe

This is mostly due to the fact that the “chocolate pots” are baked rather than cooked over the stove like a typical pudding recipe. 

Pots de Creme Recipe (Salted Caramel) zoomed in overhead shot

Salted Caramel Pot de Creme

I found this recipe for salted caramel pots de creme in the Food Network magazine and knew I had to give this variation a try. I love salted caramel because I’m generally a fan of anything that’s sweet and salty. 

These pots de creme, also known as dessert pots or cream pot, are rich, decadent, and absolutely irresistible.

Anything that’s a product of heavy cream and egg yolks is bound to be naughty (and French, although some would argue the two are interchangeable).

I know some people run away from a creme recipe like this or just cream-laden desserts, but the thing I’ve learned about French food is that because it’s so rich and fat-filled, you can only eat a little bit of the dessert before feeling totally full and satiated.

I personally cannot eat a whole ramekin of pots de creme, but the few spoonfuls that I can manage are heavenly and make my belly feel full and super happy.

Pots de Creme Recipe (salted caramel) close-up shot of spoon in digging into pudding

Easy Pots de Creme

To make this easy pots de creme, you heat a mixture of cream, milk, vanilla, and chocolate. Then you add this mixture to a bowl of egg yolks and whisk everything together.

You distribute the batter among your ramekins and then set the ramekins in a water bath to bake, only to later refrigerate them until they’re chilled.

This version of salted caramel pots de creme only slightly differs from chocolate pot de creme; you’ve got the addition of caramel liquid in this version and less chocolate.

You can top your pots de creme with fresh whipped cream or, in this case, sprinkle fleur de sel (sea salt flakes) on top and serve the cream on the side. 

The final result is a firm custard that is unmistakably caramel-tasting. The sweetness is balanced out by the fleur de sel, making every bite of this creamy French dessert completely and utterly blissful.

Pots de Creme Recipe (salted caramel) individual pot de creme

Pots de Creme Recipe (Salted Caramel)

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours

Classic French pot de creme (custard/cream pot) flavored with salted caramel. 

Ingredients

  • 2 c heavy cream
  • 1/2 c whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1/4 c water
  • 3 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips
  • 6 egg yolks
  • Fleur de Sel for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Get a kettle of water warming on the stove. In a large saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, vanilla, and salt. Warm over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling. Then remove from heat and cover with a lid to keep warm.
  2. In another saucepan, heat sugar and water over low heat stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Allow the mixture to continue simmering for about 10 minutes, until liquid starts to brown. Swirl the sugar mixture in the pan occasionally by lifting the pan and swirling the pan, but do not stir the sugar mixture with a spoon or anything. After the 10 minutes are up, use a spoon or brush to remove some of the sugar crystals that have formed on the side of the saucepan.
  3. Pour the sugar mixture into the cream mixture. Add the chocolate chips and use a whisk to give everything a stir until the chocolate has melted. Pour the entire contents through a sieve into a bowl just to ensure you don't have any sugar crystals in the mixture.
  4. In a large measuring cup, whisk your egg yolks together. Slowly stream a couple tablespoons worth of the caramel mixture into the yolks, whisking as you do this, to temper your eggs. Then continue to whisk as you pour the rest of the caramel mixture in. You'll end up with a little more than 2 cups of batter.
  5. Distribute this evenly among 6 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a large casserole-type pan. Pour the heated water from the kettle into the pan just until the water reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, just until the edges of the creme have set, but the centers are still wobbly.
  6. Remove the ramekins from the pan and allow them to come to room temperature. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (about 2 - 3 hours). Sprinkle fleur de sel when ready to serve with a side of whipped cream (optional).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 498

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