Chocolate Cream Desserts for Macaron (Yolk) Lovers
Poor blog. I’ve neglected it and so my apologies. Chest infection dragging on, living in the dark, the pouring rain. Not a great couple of weeks, although I do have a much more fun excuse – all shall be revealed in the next post.
In the meantime, I’ve still had some sweet dreams, mainly consisting of desserts. Ideally they’re not too sweet, they’re packed with flavour and they’re quick and easy to make. If they use up egg yolks, that’s an extra bonus for macaron lovers. These chocolate cream puddings can not only be whipped up in 20 minutes but they’re so versatile and perfect for re-cyling those hoarded yoghurt pots.
Here I’ve added zingy orange zest and a sneaky soupçon of Cointreau to them but adapt them to your own tastes. For spicy romantic lovers, replace with cardamom and ginger. Lucie adored the addition of 100g candied chestnut cream (she’s mad about chestnuts) but why not add a touch of Chambord and serve with raspberries? You get the picture. Top with physalis (why does that always sound like a disease?) or, to add that je ne sais quoi, a mendiant topped with dried fruits and nuts.
They remind me of La Laitière cream pots we can buy in the supermarket but they’re much better and so quick to make – it’s worth the effort. They’re not like a mousse and they’re not like heavy creams, either. Do you remember the Aero bars we used to devour as kids? What was the best part for you? The bubbles?
The best part are the chocolate bubbles…
Chocolate Orange Cream Desserts
Serves 6 (small pots)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 2 hours
200ml whole milk
300ml single cream
3 egg yolks
50g sugar
150g dark cooking chocolate, broken into small chunks
zest of an orange (untreated)
1 tbsp Cointreau (optional)
1 gelatine sheet (@2 g)
1. Soak the gelatine in cold water. Meanwhile break up the chocolate into pieces in a large bowl. In a saucepan, boil the milk and cream.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Pour over the hot milky cream, mix and transfer back to the saucepan.
3. Whisk vigorously over a medium heat until the cream thickens. Take off the heat then pour over half of this hot cream on to the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts, add the grated zest, Cointreau (if using), the gelatine (squeezed of any excess water) and then whisk in the rest of the hot cream.
4. Transfer to 6 serving dishes (or 4 if you’re greedy like us). Leave to cool and chill for an hour.
Serve with sablé bretons or, dare I say, some macarons?
This recipe is added to the egg yolk recipe collection. There’s plenty more so you’ve no excuse – get these egg whites put aside! By making this recipe, you’ll have enough for 100g whites, which will make about 30 macarons.
Stay tuned for the fun surprise. If you haven’t yet subscribed to le blog, then don’t forget to sign up. Toodeloo, bonne semaine, I’m off to London so it’s time to get back into action!
Jill Colonna 
This looks amazing! I love chocolate pudding! Delicious!
They look amazing! I shall invite a large family over for dinner, and make these for dessert. But above all, I’ll try to prepare them during the cooking class I’ve recently signed up for. Or to put it precisely, my boyfriend gave me quite an unusual Valentine’s gift this year – a cooking class organized by Zac’s cooking school in our native Vancouver called – cooking classes for couples so we’re now collecting interesting recipes to come up with during that course. And I’m sure this recipe will most certainly be among the first ones we’ll try together.
Your cooking class sounds great and your boyfriend is certainly very creative with his gift, as he’ll also be enjoying the benefits, Stephanie! Enjoy making this – full of varieties and your imagination can be used, too.
These sound wonderfully decadent, especially with the dash of Cointreau. The cape gooseberries look like big bows adorning these luscious desserts. Hope you are feeling better soon, Hester x
Thanks, Hester. I’m afraid stuck in bed with the flu and with a temp. Just come out to say hello. Never been so sick in my life! Note to self: get a flu jab in October this year… Thanks for popping in.
Hi Jill, so sorry to hear you are ill, I wish you to get better soon. I think chocolate in any form is the best remedy, isn’t it? 🙂
If you say so, *cough*, I’m off to find some more. Thanks, Gourmantine xo
These are amazing. Great way to use egg yolks and I love the adaptibility of the pudding too.
Thanks, Caroline. Makes a change from ice cream at this time of year!
Rest well, Jill! Hopefully, these luscious-looking pots de crème will help. (I’m glad I’m not the only who hoards those yogurt jars 🙂
Ann, I can’t throw them out, can you? There’s the mustard glasses, too.
I’m so sorry to hear you still have been ill. It took me more than a month to recover from cold I got from the end of last year. Hope you can completely recover soon. Spring is almost here! Love teh chocolate cream desserts you made! Lucie and I can get along I love anything chestnuts too. 🙂
I remember you being sick for so long and now it’s my turn. Wish it would go away! Let’s just keep thinking of Spring, Nami.
Jill, hope you are well now. Oh, you have used the egg yolks to create such a “dreamy” dessert. Now who will not love such an amazing dessert?!
Purabi, it’s time I made another batch with more physalis/cape gooseberry to help our coughs!
You need to move here to California Jill! Mild climate, sunny…flip flops 8 months of the year for me 🙂
Don’t tempt me, Gerry 😉
Mmmmm….you know this would disappear at my house! Beautifully done, my friend. I can’t wait to see what’s been keeping you busy…and hope the nasty virus has left the house.
Thanks, Liz. I wish this virus thing would leave the house. Now Lucie has it and me AGAIN. Fed up. And wish I could tell you all about the news but frustrating with no news when I’m allowed to put it up online!
Yum and GORGEOUS!
They are, Michelle – just made another batch with caramel chocolate!
So gorgeous! Isn’t there another name for that topping?
Must go refresh my memory…
Thanks, Carol. You mean the physalis topping? If so, it’s also called a Cape Gooseberry, Chinese Lantern, Groundcherry… it gets around! Just read up that in Chinese medicine, it’s used for coughs. I should eat more of them!
Everything about this is just so right! Using yolks yay! And chocolate creamy dreamy pudding? Yes! And mmmm I almost stopped at the orange zest and Cointreau – my current chocolate flavor fixation – but then I saw your other ideas. This is fabulous! Thanks for the recipe, Jill.
And we got lucky with only a fairly mild version of what’s going around. Ugh! I hope you feel better soon!
Enjoy them, Jamie. I keep making more of them with different versions. Great wee recipe to have up your sleeve. As for getting better, just come off antibiotics and now can’t stop coughing! Grrrrr – so behind. Bring on Spring quickly….
What a beautiful, creative way to use up those egg yolks. You’re inspiring me to expand beyond ice cream and curd.
Lora, you’ll discover how addictive they are as well. Enjoy!