Slow Cooker Chocolate Pot de Creme (with ganache!) Recipe
YUM. Chocolate.
I've got a root canal (or two) scheduled in the very near future (you can read about my teeth here. and here. in case you're interested. which you probably shouldn't be, because that's kind of weird. but whatever. you might be a weird person, and that's okay with me. I don't judge.) and so I've decided that I might as well just eat huge bowlfuls of sugar.
and enjoy myself.
Because life is short and modern dentistry is *wonderful*!!
I'm fascinated at how the crockpot can make a delicate dessert when it's used as a bain marie, or water bath. It's both fancy and easy at the same time. Easy Fancy.
that should be a magazine.
The Ingredients.
serves 8
5 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup baker's sugar (I like how fine the granules are in baker's sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (not a typo. a whole tablespoon!)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
ganache topping:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker with an inserted oven-safe dish that fits all the way inside your stoneware. (I use a 1 1/2 quart oval Corningware dish. ) Add water around the dish until reaching the halfway point on the side (about 1/2 to 1 cup of water).
In a mixing bowl, whip together the yolks, cream, sugar, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Pour this mixture into your inserted dish. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours. Your custard should be set in the center and not too jiggly. Touch it lightly with your finger---you shouldn't get a bunch of gook on your finger.
Unplug your cooker and let it cool for an hour or so, or until you can safely remove the inserted dish. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, or until fully cool.
To make the ganache (this is optional, but it's so good and so easy, you really should just make it and 
impress yourself): Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (not long---30 seconds or so, then add a few at a time--don't scorch the chocolate!), and whisk in the heavy cream until it's fully incorporated. Pour evenly over the top. Return to the refrigerator for ANOTHER 2-3 hours (this is the hard part) before serving.
impress yourself): Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (not long---30 seconds or so, then add a few at a time--don't scorch the chocolate!), and whisk in the heavy cream until it's fully incorporated. Pour evenly over the top. Return to the refrigerator for ANOTHER 2-3 hours (this is the hard part) before serving.
The Verdict.
Sometimes I feel stupid writing these verdicts. This is chocolate cream mousse with an additional layer of chocolate frosting.
HOW COULD IT NOT BE GOOD?!
seriously.
you should also make these yummy crockpot creations:
creme brulee (if you haven't made crockpot creme brulee yet, you really should. really. it's fool-proof)
turtle pudding (no turtles involved)
peanut clusters (these make fantastic Holiday gifts!)
I've got a few contests running over on Totally Together Reviews---good luck!
I don't have anything called baker's sugar. would I substitute regular sugar or powdered sugar?
ReplyDeleteLOL, you're right - how COULD it not be good?! This looks awesome, and I think I smell a new venture for you with Easy Fancy, the magazine. I want to help! hehe
ReplyDeleteHi Leese--
ReplyDeletedefinitely use the regular sugar. Stir well to dissolve the granules.
oxox
This recipe looks fantastic (as most of them do). I'm disappointed that you decided to truncate the feed because that is how I read most blogs. I rarely click through and often drop the blogs that truncate. :(
ReplyDeleteHi Sandi,
ReplyDeleteI know. I was having content stolen and put up on scrapper blogs, and the easiest way for me to keep this from happening is to shorten the feed.
I'm sorry.
Steph,
ReplyDeleteWould this work in individual ramekins inside the slow cooker?
Susie Bee,
ReplyDeleteyes it would! and I so want to buy more ramekins so I can make them that way! I'm not sure about the timing. I'd check after 1 hr to 90 min on high and then monitor every 30 min or so.
(completely jealous you're in Maui, btw..)
This sounds like the perfect dessert for a special occasion... or for a special Tuesday.. or even just a regular Tuesday...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, making this for dessert tomorrow!
this is what your previous mousse was missing - the eggs! This will be so much better!!
ReplyDeleteSounds AWESOME! And this is how weird I am... I still miss the bio picture of you hugging your slow cooker. (cough*crockpot*cough) I'll be linking to this in one of my future link roundups!
ReplyDeleteOh my Steph!!! I might just have to make this for some Mum's during school time and We might just have to eat it all.....
ReplyDelete@-leese: You can take regular sugar and put it in your food processor and pulse to make smaller granules if you are worried it won't dissolve properly. Many times Baker's Sugar is called Superfine Sugar.
ReplyDeleteI've never done anything like this in my slow cooker, so thanks for showing the way. (I won't be reading more about root canals, as I am truly dentist phobic, but I wish you good luck with all of that.)
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above, I stop following truncated feeds, as well. :/ Nothing personal, because I do enjoy the blog--just not enough to click through, when I follow about 130 feeds. Maybe if you added a bit more content? A picture or two, more text? I'll check back in a while, but for now, thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteOMG! OMG! OMG! Serve with a side of pretzels and you might have discovered the cure for PMS!
ReplyDeleteAnd don't get me started about teeth. I have spent more on dental work in the past three years than I care to think about.
Hey Steph - just a question from NZ - we have castor sugar which is really fine granulated sugar, or icing sugar which is powdered (and I THOUGHT that it was known as confectioners sugar in the US). Which would your bakers sugar be closest to?? Thanks - love your work :) Angelique
ReplyDeleteHi again - sorry - read the instructions (if all else fails), or the forum, as instructed. Its castor sugar I need. Sorry again! Angelique
ReplyDeletewow! looks incredible! good luck with the teeth! hopefully, with the miracle of modern dentistry, you won't be in much pain!
ReplyDeleteOh dear!!! I need a larger crockpot....
ReplyDeleteYou will have a reader (and possible helper)in Easy Fancy or easyfancy.com.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good and fun work!
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fabulous! Got any tips for getting the inserted dish OUT of the crock? Mine always seems to wedge in there and cause problems.
Hi List Maker,
ReplyDeletehmm. You might want to try a different dish---one that's just a tad bit smaller. It shouldn't touch the sides, just sit right in the middle of the water bath.
I'm sorry! :-(
My crock pot broke on monday, I am still in mourning
ReplyDeleteOh wow that looks so good!
ReplyDeleteWishing you well on those root canals.... Sugar it up til then:) xoxo
ReplyDelete"so I've decided that I might as well just eat huge bowlfuls of sugar. and enjoy myself."
ReplyDeleteSteph, don't worry about a little sugar, it's the 2.5 cups of heavy cream which is scary!!!!!
To clean your CP let it sit overnight with either dishwasher soap or a dryer sheet in it and it should be super easy to clean. Before I knew that I have been known to spray it with oven cleaner LOL.
ReplyDeleteFor the person in mourning over her broken CP she should be able find a good used one at a thrift store. You may have to go to a couple of different stores or go a couple of different days because they get new stuff in every day. I need to get a baby one for dipping one Champion cookie truffles at a time (it takes me a really long time being physically challenged and the chocolate keeps getting cold on me so I thought of this last year and I think the aid I had last year had one and she brought it over and it worked great)The truffle recipe is off the Daily Simple Recipes or Simple Daily Recipes.I'm dyslexic and I can't ever remember which word comes first. Oh well we can't all be perfect. LOL
ok, drooling over the computer now! Looks so yummy & loved the above posters PMS comment...may have to make some tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLovely on the root canals! You can dream of this dessert while having them!
ReplyDeleteBakers sugar is also called castor sugar in other countries, I think.
Would it be wrong to make this now and eat it for breakfast?
Hmmmm, since I don't have a microwave I'm thinking the ganache would cook up splendidly in my Little Dipper. :)
ReplyDelete*drool* That looks divine. Oh, and is it weird that I really like the pictures you take of all the ingredients? Never stop doing that, please. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your root canal(s)!!!
I've def. got to try this one, thank you! I've got five fillings coming up on Monday (two in my entire life and now this -- I chalk it up to having kids!) and plan on eating soft foods for a few days. I'll see if I can fit this one in!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, Steph! Just brilliant! Good luck with the dental stuff. I hope you are going to a specialist who only does root canals. They are so worth it! I think they are called endologists ... hmmm, not sure.
ReplyDeletexo,
Shirley
I just wanted to let you know, as someone who was extremely afraid of my root canal, they are really not as bad as their reputation! My dentist was amazing, explained everything, and made sure to ask me frequently if I was doing okay. It was sore for a day or two, of course, but I would hardly describe it as painful. So don't be afraid, I promise it won't be nearly as bad as you think! =)
ReplyDeleteI do fully support your sugar-eating initiative, and look forward to being off my diet so I can eat this stuff too.
Could I make this a day ahead? I am thinking of making this for Christmas but already have a ton of things going on that day.
ReplyDeleteyes! absolutely. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm extremely late to the party, but I have a super-easy, fool proof, no measure way to make ganache topping in the microwave!
ReplyDeleteJust take chocolate chips and pour however much you want to use into a microwave safe bowl (I prefer clear pyrex - seems to heat most evenly), then pour in heavy cream until the chips are just covered, or only a few tips visible.
Microwave on high for 20 or 30 seconds if you're making a small or individual batch, up to a minute or so for a larger batch.
Let it sit for about a minute, then whisk.
For a less rich version, you can use half & jalf, but only pour to just below the chip line, as it's thinner.