Ready For Dessert

One of my favorite pastry experts, David Lebovitz, just published a new baking book this week. His latest chef-d'oeuvre, Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes, is a collection of his favorite dessert recipes.

Packed with over 170 recipes, you'll be having a ball as you churn out one hit after another. Lebovitz covers everything from candies to soufflé s so you'll definitely find several fun recipes to try. I can't wait to use the Green Tea Financiers recipe. I've used matcha in another madeleine recipe before, so I'm excited to compare the two. The Fresh Mint Sherbet with Figs Roasted in Chartreuse and Honey recipe also looks delicious.

His earlier books Room for Dessert and Ripe for Dessert are sadly out of print. Luckily for us, many of those recipes are updated and included in this new book. Standard and metric measurements are used, so you don't have to worry about conversion issues.

As a treat, here's a recipe for Chocolate Pots de Crème. Bon appétit!

Chocolate Pots de Crème

Makes 6 servings

7 ounces (200 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups (500 ml) half-and-half
3 tablespoons (45 g) sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder (optional)
Pinch of salt
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Set six 4- to 6-ounce (125- to 180-ml) ramekins or custard cups in a roasting pan or deep baking dish.

Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half, sugar, instant espresso or coffee powder, if using, and salt until quite hot, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot half-and-half mixture over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let cool until tepid, then whisk in the egg yolks and the vanilla. (If the mixture looks at all grainy, whisk well or puree in a blender until smooth.)

Transfer the custard mixture to a large measuring cup or pitcher and divide evenly among the ramekins.

Fill the roasting pan or baking dish with warm water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the perimeters of the custards are just set and the centers are still slightly jiggly, about 35 minutes.

Transfer the custards from the water bath to a wire rack and let cool.

Serving: Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, garnished with small mounds of whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Storage: The custard mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking. Once baked, the custards can be chilled for up to 2 days (although they're much better when they haven't been refrigerated). Bring them to room temperature before serving.

Get the book on Amazon.com.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes by David Lebovitz, copyright © 2010. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc. Photo credit: Maren Caruso © 2010

For editorial consideration, a review book copy was provided for this review.

Comments

[Andrea]

Chocolate Pots de Creme - those look SO good. I am going to make them...to bring to the office, not just to eat by myself in front of the tv, of course.

[Sarade]

I love making chocolate pots de creme, but have never tried adding espresso powder. What a delicious idea! And this reminds me of the chocolate financiers cake recipe that I have still never tried out.

[Denise]

That looks absolutely heavenly. Never have tried chocolate pots de creme- they look very delicate, is it hard to make it right?

[del4yo]

Looks exactly like the classic French cream...It's not difficult, no! You just have to be patient :)

It should be called "creme au chocolat", not pot de creme. Pot de creme is a pot of sour cream!