Vanilla Pot De Crème with Chocolate Sablés

Name: Vanilla Pot De Crème with Chocolate Sablés
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 vanilla beans; 6 extra-large egg yolks; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; Chocolate sablés (recipe follows); 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter; 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar; 1 extra-large egg yolk; 1 teaspoon coffee extract (optional); 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate shards; 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

January 24, 2012

The vanilla bean is one of the wonders of the culinary world. Cured until nearly shriveled, black as a two-week-old banana, the slender pods have a sweetness that belies their appearance. The rich fragrance of true vanilla is so intense that, after my first encounter with a vanilla pot de crème in France, it seemed to permeate even my dreams. I have adapted this pot de crème recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Simply French, by Patricia Wells and Joel Robuchon. The French-inspired chocolate sablés were developed by my pastry chef Roxana Jullapat. Encourage your guests to use them as edible spoons to scoop up the rich, silky custard.

Recipe notes

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