Butterscotch Pots de Crème

So, Valentine's Day is this week, and at some point I usually make a dinner the BF really loves. [Ed. note: Hey we're going out too! Cripes, now we'll get letters.] The main course is a no-brainer: prime ribeye. [Ed. note: Changing reservation to a more expensive place.] For dessert, want to make a treat that we both swoon over. Well aware that chocolate and Valentine's Day are synonymous, it's just not always the case in our house. Now, the BF likes chocolate but, unlike me, he really has to be in the mood for something super-rich chocolatey. He actually can say no to chocolate—I know, gasp! [Ed. note: Watches hate mail pile up.]

This pot de crème is like a turbo-charged version of butterscotch pudding. A decadent custard that's silky, butterscotchy, caramelly, salty-sweet, with deep notes of brown sugar. Squarely in the BF's wheelhouse, and I definitely don't feel like we have to have chocolate every night. Got to spice things up sometimes, right?

Truthfully, this is a solid go-to dessert for guests as it takes no time at all to prep (talking about ten minutes) and looks-tastes pedantically fancy. As easy and straightforward as the directions are, the only vexing part is dirtying two pots and two mixing bowls. It's worth it.

An added bonus, can halve the recipe so it just makes two small ramekins.  

This recipe is adapted from Molly of Orangette, who describes these pots de crème as "Cold and rich and almost hyperbolically creamy, the custard yields under the spoon the way a good down pillow does under your head: with a welcoming, slippery whoosh. The gates to heaven have never opened so easily."

She is not lying.

NOTES:

• ​This custard gets its deep flavor from the presence of two special sugars: muscovado and demerara. It may sound fussy to call for fancy sugars, but it's truly worth it if you have them on hand. If you don't, you can substitute dark brown sugar for the muscovado and light brown sugar or granulated sugar for the demerara.
• For the water-and-demerara step, be sure to use a light-colored saucepan. If your pan is made of something dark, it will be almost impossible to see the color of the mixture as it caramelizes.
• Prep everything before you start cooking.
• Don't over bake.

Adapted from: Orangette
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fleur de sel (optional)

​
Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 300 °F.
2. In a small heavy saucepan, combine cream, muscovado sugar and salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, combine water and demerara sugar in a medium heavy (2-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and bubbly, about 5 minutes. (To gauge the color of the mixture, it may help to tilt the pan a little, so that the liquid pools on one side.) Remove from heat and carefully add the cream mixture, whisking until combined.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and vanilla. Add hot cream mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a 1-quart glass measuring cup, and pour the custard through the sieve. Skim off any foam with a spoon.
5. Divide the custard among four 4-ounce ramekins or other oven-safe vessels. Select a baking dish, one large enough to hold the ramekins without any of them touching. (I used a 9” x 13.”) Fold a dish towel to line the bottom of the baking dish; this will protect the delicate custards from touching the hot bottom of the pan. Arrange the ramekins in the pan. Seal the top of each ramekin with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent a skin from forming as they bake.
6. Slide the pan into the oven, and immediately pour hot tap water into the pan to reach halfway up the side of the ramekins. Bake until custards are set around the edges but still jiggle lightly in the centers when shaken, like firm gelatin, about 40 minutes. (You will have to move the foil to see this.) Using tongs, transfer the ramekins to a rack. Discard foil tops and cool to room temperature. [Ed. note: ROOM TEMPERATURE] The custards will continue to set as they cool. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or until you’re ready to serve them.
7. Serve plain or topped with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream. (I opted to sprinkle with Fleur de sel.)

NOTE: These are best on the first day, but they’ll keep for up to two days, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. The texture slowly declines and they develop a thin skin on top.

PS: A year ago I broke out the Paderno Brand 3-Blade Spiralizer for some kohlrabi "noodles" with bacon, carmelized onion and shaved parmesan (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/kohlrabi-noodles-bacon-caramelized-onion-shaved-parmesan).

PPS: For those of you muttering to yourselves through clenched teeth, "Fake vegetable noodles? Forget that and this butterscotch deal, I want chocolate," let's revisit this chocolate oblivion truffle torte (www.moveablefeast.me/blog/chocolate-oblivion-truffle-torte).