Cardamom Ginger Pots De Crème

with Coconut Whipped Cream

Posted by Victory Belt

About

I don’t make a lot of desserts, so when I do, they’d better be easy and delicious. This one is both. Having said that, it does take some planning and attention to process, so please follow the directions exactly to have success and super-smooth results! The first important step is to remember to set a can of coconut milk in the fridge the day before you plan to make this dessert, for the coconut whipped cream, and make sure to have a thermometer on hand when you make the pots de crème. The technique for this recipe comes from my good friend, Michelle Tam, author of Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans. She makes this dessert with ancho chili powder. I swapped out the ancho chili and added a few of my own touches to make it the perfect ending to a rich meal during the depths of winter. If you’re a fan of dark chocolate, you’ll absolutely love it! This is not a creamy, sweet mousse, but more like a super-dark dive into heaven. I like to garnish it with slivers of Candied Orange and Ginger (page 324).

Makes 6 (3½-ounce) servings

Notes: The chocolate industry has some major social justice issues—in particular, child slavery is a huge problem among many African cacao farms. It’s critical to seek out fair-trade chocolate, especially if the beans come from West Africa. See the note on fair trade on page 27 for more information.

Whole30 No
Nut-free Yes
Egg-free No
AIP No

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You Will Need (15 things)

  • For the pots de crème

  • 7 oz Dark Chocolate (at least 70%), finely chopped (about 2 standard bars; see Notes)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat Coconut Milk
  • 2 Egg Yolks , beaten
  • 1 tsp Ground Cardamom
  • 2 tsp Grated Fresh Ginger
  • ¹⁄₈ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ¹⁄₈ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract

  • For the coconut whipped cream

  • 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat Coconut Milk , chilled upside-down in the fridge overnight
  • 1 tsp Maple Syrup
  • ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 6 slivers Candied Orange and Ginger for garnish

Steps (8 steps, 35 minutes)

  1. 1

    Make the pots de crème: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.

  2. 2

    In a saucepan over medium heat, slowly warm the coconut milk, egg yolks, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, stirring constantly. Do not allow it to come to a simmer. When the mixture reaches 175°F, remove it from the heat. This will take about 10 minutes.

  3. 3

    Pour the coconut milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over the chocolate and set a timer for 5 minutes. Walk away from the bowl and do not disturb it for the full 5 minutes.

  4. 4

    After the timer goes off, very slowly stir the mixture until it is completely smooth. This will take a few minutes. If you stir it too fast, you’ll get grainy results, so stir slowly!

  5. 5

    Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla and pour into 6 teacups or small ramekins.

  6. 6

    Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

  7. 7

    Make the coconut whipped cream: Keeping the chilled can upside down, open it and scoop out the cream that has risen to the top. Place the cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and whip to incorporate. This can be made several hours ahead and kept in the fridge until needed.

  8. 8

    To serve, place a dollop of the whipped coconut cream on each pot de crème and garnish with a sliver of candied orange and ginger, if desired. There you have it! Sinfully delicious.