Ring in the New Year with an over the top dessert! Spoil your guests with White Chocolate Champagne Pot de Creme, a thick and luscious cream with a touch of sparkle.
This make-ahead recipe is quick to prepare with just a few ingredients. Truly indulgent!
The need to celebrate
I have celebrated New Year's Eve in several different ways. There were the dress-up fancy celebrations with huge numbers of people in large hotel ballrooms - certainly won't be celebrating like that this year. Or the prix fixe dinners at popular restaurants. For a few years, we celebrated going to a New Year's Eve concert of a favorite band.
Then there was y2k. I was pregnant so the big celebration became smaller, more intimate. Frankly, by that time, I was finished with the grand parties. But I still felt the need to celebrate, to welcome a new start on January 1, and wait for whatever doomsday y2k was going to bring.
House party
I think there is nothing better than a house party with really good friends. Some ridiculous party games and plenty of laughs are the hallmarks of a great party. Throw in a few noisemakers, funny hats, and some confetti to add to New Year's Eve energy in the room. Turn on the TV to watch the ball drop in Times Square.
But good food is a must. Maybe a sit-down dinner with a fancy menu. Or a potluck with a wide variety of family favorite dishes served buffet style so guests can eat at their leisure. No matter what type of meal, add a special dessert like White Chocolate Champagne Pot de Creme for a celebratory touch.
The drink of celebrations
Whether it is launching a ship, winning a race, or graduating from college, champagne marks a joyous occasion. The pop of a cork signals a bubbly celebration. So it is with this sentiment that I created a dessert fitting of New Year's Eve. But I wanted it to be an easy recipe and that could be dressed up or down.
Just a pudding
This is not a complicated recipe though its name may suggest otherwise. Pot de creme is very similar to pudding however it is not thickened with starch. Using a method similar to making creme brulee, cream and egg yolks thicken the pot de creme for a silky texture.
6 Ingredients
This recipe does not require a laundry list of ingredients which is one of its best attributes.
The timing and order of preparation are the biggest requirements of the recipe. I garnish the pot de creme with sugared champagne-soaked grapes. You can use any sparkling wine, champagne, prosecco, or cava to soak the grapes. It is best if the fruit is pulled off the stem and placed in a bowl of whatever wine you are using. Let the grapes soak for at least 12 hours. I often let them sit for 24 hours.
Before I proceed with the recipe, I take a grape out of the wine and place it in a shallow bowl of sugar. Gently roll it in the sugar, spooning some on top. If you roll too vigorously, the sugar may come off the grape. Set aside to let the coating dry and become a little crunchy.
Thickening the cream
This recipe is a little different from other traditional methods. Pot de creme is usually prepared by putting filled ramekins or jars in a roasting dish of hot water and baking such as a creme brulee.
For this preparation, combine egg yolks with a small amount of sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Place the chips or pieces of white chocolate in a blender.
Pour the heavy cream into a saucepan. It is going to be scalded similar to making anglaise. This means you are heating the cream until it bubbles around the sides of the pan and starts to rise towards the top.
The eggs are going to be tempered so they do not scramble when add to the pan. Using a ladle or a big spoon, add a small amount of hot cream to the eggs, whisking to incorporate. Repeat this step two more times. The eggs will be much lighter in color. Now add the contents of the bowl to the pan, again stirring to incorporate everything. Put the pan back on the burner over medium heat and using a spatula, continuously stir until the cream starts to thicken. It will only take about 3 minutes for everything to be thick and heated through. Just be careful - it is very easy to overcook the eggs.
Silky smooth
The next step is to add the hot cream to the blender. As soon as the cream mix is thick, pour it over the white chocolate. Don't let the cream stay in the hot pan. It will continue to cook and will start to scramble. Be sure to secure the top, hold on to it. This is important because the steam creates some pressure inside the blender. Blend for about 1 minute. You should have a silky smooth pot de creme mix.
Remove the lid and let the cream cool in the blender for about 30 minutes, then add 3 tablespoons of sparkling wine. I think cooling the cream helps retain some of the effervescence of the wine.
Dress it up or dress it down
Now the pot de creme needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, even 3. This is where you can add a little personality to the dessert. Are you having a sit-down dinner, then grab the fancy stemmed dessert glasses. Maybe you are having a serve-yourself buffet. Ramekins are always a good choice. I have some repurposed glass yogurt jars that are perfect for any occasion. Ladle the pot de creme into any manner of small dish and chill until set.
Don't forget the grapes
The grapes are irresistible. I keep popping them into my mouth, getting a little crunch and a little champagne. (I made extra) These could even be a little snack for any of your guests who are a little too full for a big dessert.
Start the new year off the right way with a dessert worthy of a special celebration. White Chocolate Champagne Pot de Creme will make you feel pampered and appreciated. This incredibly rich and sparkly dessert is like a celebration in a glass!
Try this buttery and rich dessert - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/orange-pistachio-financiers
Recipe
White Chocolate Champagne Pot de Creme
Equipment
- blender
- small saucepan
- 3 small/medium-sized bowls
- whisk, spatula, ladle
- 7 ramekins, dessert dishes, or small bowls
Ingredients
Sugared Champagne Grapes
- 1 ¼ cups seedless green grapes 7.4 ounces/210 grams
- 1 cup champagne or sparkling wine 237 mls
- ½ cup granulated sugar
White Chocolate Champagne Pot de Creme
- 2 cups heavy cream 474 mls
- 6 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips or chunks
- 3 tablespoons champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions
Sugared Champagne Grapes
- Pull the grapes off the stem and place them in a medium-sized bowl.
- Pour the champagne or sparkling wine over the grapes. Let the fruit soak for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Put the sugar in a small bowl. Add the grapes a few at a time to cover them in the sugar. Moving the grapes around in the bowl too much causes the sugar to fall off. It's best to roll the grapes once or twice in the sugar then remove them to dry. The sugar will harden on the surface of the grape.
White Chocolate Champagne Pot de Creme
- Place the white chocolate chips or chunks in a blender.
- Put the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the sugar. Have the bowl and the whisk near the stove so you can use both when tempering the eggs.
- Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it is scalded. It takes about 5 minutes.
- Once the cream is scalded and has risen in the pan, turn the heat down. Add a ladle full of cream, about 2 ounces, to the egg yolks. Whisk in the cream into the eggs. Add another ladle full of cream and whisk in. Do this procedure a total of three times. The idea is to bring the eggs to temperature slowly so that you don't scramble them.
- Add the cream/egg mixture back to the pan, stirring everything together. I like to use a spatula for this step. Increase the heat to medium. Continue stirring with the spatula and heat the cream and egg yolks until they start to thicken. This takes about 3 minutes. Do not cook too long and the cream and eggs are too thick. The eggs will be scrambled.
- Add the hot cream mix to the blender, pouring over the white chocolate. Do not let the cream sit in the hot pan, as it will continue to overcook the eggs. Process in the blender for 1 minute. The chocolate should be melted and incorporated with the cream and eggs.
- Let the mix cool for about 30 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of sparkling wine or champagne to the white chocolate. Mix completely.
- Pour 6 ounces of pot de creme mix into each of your dishes. Place the filled dishes in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours for the pot de creme to set up. Garnish with the sugared champagne grapes.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply