If dessert is your favorite part of the holiday meal, you’re in luck.
Five Connecticut restaurants and bakeries have shared recipes with us for festive confections, perfect for your holiday table this season. These creations may look fancy and elaborate, but the bakers and pastry chefs assure us you can achieve the same results in your home kitchen. We’ve also provided vegan and gluten-free options – a little indulgence for everyone. More recipes here.
ON20 pastry chef Tommy Juliano first devised this no-bake recipe for chocolate pot de crème in response to limited oven space in the kitchen. It’s also easy to scale, he says, so home cooks can make the exact number of individual desserts they need.
The eggnog-flavored whipped cream, with bourbon and nutmeg, gives this dessert a holiday touch, but the dark chocolate base is suitable year-round. “It’s an extremely versatile recipe; chocolate goes with so many different things,” he says.
Makes 6-8 4 oz. jars
1 cup whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
1.2 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
9 oz dark chocolate, 58 to 70 percent cacao (Finely chopped)
Rubber spatula
Whisk
Stand mixer or kitchen aid
Heavy-bottom pot
Stainless steel bowl
Immersion blender
6 to 8 4-ounce mason jars
Kitchen scale
Measuring cups
Thermometer
Weigh out chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Place somewhere warm.
In a medium, heavy-bottom sauce pot, combine the milk, heavy cream, salt and honey. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat. Whisk occasionally to avoid scorching.
While the cream mixture comes to a boil, combine the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk the egg yolk and sugar mixture on low while the cream mixture comes to a boil.
Once the cream mixture comes to a boil, “temper” the egg yolks by slowly pouring the hot cream mixture into the mixer bowl while whisking on low-medium speed. Reserve the pot.
Turn the mixer off and pour the contents of the bowl back into the pot. Place the pot over low to medium heat.
While stirring the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, heat the mixture to 178 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the mixture is “nappe” which means until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. (Note: Take precaution to avoid the coagulation, or “scrambling” of the egg yolks by constantly keeping the mixture moving while cooking.)
Once the mixture has reached the “nappe” stage or 178 degrees Fahrenheit, immediately pour the hot mixture over the finely chopped chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then blend the mixture with an immersion blender. (You can also whisk the mixture if no blender is available.) Blend the mixture to a smooth, glossy consistency.
Once the chocolate mixture is smooth and well blended, pour the chocolate into the mason jars or desired vessels. Place the jars in the refrigerator and allow the pot de cremes about an hour or two to set.
Serve chilled with the eggnog whipped cream and garnish with grated nutmeg. Keep the pots de creme stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Makes about 4 cups
2 cups heavy cream (very cold)
4 tbsp confectioners sugar
1 tbsp bourbon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Combine the bourbon, freshly ground nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream in a small pot. Bring to a boil to cook off the alcohol and to infuse the nutmeg. Transfer this mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and chill over an ice bath.
Once the mixture is chilled, add the remaining cream and the confectioners sugar. Transfer the bowl to a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk on medium to high speed and whip until the cream reaches a “medium peak”. Do not over whip.
Once the cream forms medium peaks, transfer to a container and keep refrigerated until needed or up to two days.
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