Chocolate Pots de Crème with Silky Baked Custard

Pots de crème are small baked custards with a texture between pudding and a very soft ganache. Gentle heat is the difference between a silky spoonful and a grainy custard. The recipe uses a water bath to moderate the oven’s heat, and the eggs are tempered so they thicken the chocolate base without scrambling. Temper slowly and strain Warm the dairy until steaming but not boiling. Whisk the egg mixture continuously while adding the hot dairy in a thin stream; this gradually raises the egg temperature. If the warm liquid is poured in all at once, small curds can form. Strain the custard before filling the ramekins to catch any bits and help the finished texture stay smooth. Set the ramekins in a baking dish and pour hot water around them carefully, keeping water below their rims. Bake until the edges look set and the centers still wobble gently when nudged; they will firm further as they cool. Avoid waiting for the center to look completely solid in the oven, which can overcook the…

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