Took these little gems to a dinner last night. I'll be making them again and again.
The recipe says you can serve them warm or chilled. I made them and immediately left for a dinner party. Ours were room temperature and they were fabulous. I always thought chilled was best, but room temp brought out the flavor really well. They had the right amount of sugar--just sweet enough, allowing the coffee flavor to really come forward.
Pacific Northwest Coffee Pots-de-Creme
From William Sonoma, "Savoring America"
Serves 6
Many coffee-flavored desserts use instant espresso powder, but the very best flavor comes from infusing coffee beans, as in this recipe. Northwest coffee drinkers like their coffee with character, the product of a good dark roast, so choose French or espresso roast beans for the most flavor. (Note: I use Italian Roast)
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup dark roast coffee beans, crushed
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
boiling water as needed
1/2 cup heavy (double) cream
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
6 chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 300F. Set six 1/2 cup pot-de-creme pots in a baking dish. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine half-and-half and the coffee beans and bring to just a boil. Cover. Set aside for no more than 15 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar. Line a sieve with dampened cheesecloth and strain the coffee-infused half-and-half into a measuring pitcher. Slowly whisk the coffee mixture into the yolk mixture just until blended; do not allow it to become frothy. Pour back into the pitcher, then divide among the pots-de-creme pots.
Add boiling water to the baking dish to reach half way up the sides of the pots. Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custard is set 30-40 minutes. Carefully transfer the pots to a rack and cool complete. Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away. Just before serving, whip the cream until soft peaks begin to form, then whip in the coffee liqueur. Top each pot-de-creme with a dollop of the cream and finish with a chocolate-covered coffee bean, if desired.
Note: Instead of the coffee bean garnish, I used my microplane and topped with a shower of shaved chocolate.
Also, I think this would be great steeped with a cinnamon stick instead of coffee. I'll try that next time.
The recipe says you can serve them warm or chilled. I made them and immediately left for a dinner party. Ours were room temperature and they were fabulous. I always thought chilled was best, but room temp brought out the flavor really well. They had the right amount of sugar--just sweet enough, allowing the coffee flavor to really come forward.
Pacific Northwest Coffee Pots-de-Creme
From William Sonoma, "Savoring America"
Serves 6
Many coffee-flavored desserts use instant espresso powder, but the very best flavor comes from infusing coffee beans, as in this recipe. Northwest coffee drinkers like their coffee with character, the product of a good dark roast, so choose French or espresso roast beans for the most flavor. (Note: I use Italian Roast)
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup dark roast coffee beans, crushed
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
boiling water as needed
1/2 cup heavy (double) cream
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
6 chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 300F. Set six 1/2 cup pot-de-creme pots in a baking dish. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine half-and-half and the coffee beans and bring to just a boil. Cover. Set aside for no more than 15 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar. Line a sieve with dampened cheesecloth and strain the coffee-infused half-and-half into a measuring pitcher. Slowly whisk the coffee mixture into the yolk mixture just until blended; do not allow it to become frothy. Pour back into the pitcher, then divide among the pots-de-creme pots.
Add boiling water to the baking dish to reach half way up the sides of the pots. Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custard is set 30-40 minutes. Carefully transfer the pots to a rack and cool complete. Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away. Just before serving, whip the cream until soft peaks begin to form, then whip in the coffee liqueur. Top each pot-de-creme with a dollop of the cream and finish with a chocolate-covered coffee bean, if desired.
Note: Instead of the coffee bean garnish, I used my microplane and topped with a shower of shaved chocolate.
Also, I think this would be great steeped with a cinnamon stick instead of coffee. I'll try that next time.
