Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Pots

I LOVE this dessert- it is so rich and velvety and indulgent. These chocolate pots are a staple because they only require 5 ingredients, which I usually have at home. As an added bonus, it's easy to adapt the chocolate pots to suit the season or occasion (see variations below the recipe). The most important thing is to make sure you use really good chocolate. Since the recipe is so few ingredients, the chocolate really stands out. The recipe I have below is for two servings (making more is dangerous for me!), but just scale up the recipe if you need more.

Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 oz dark chocolate (at least 70% dark), finely chopped

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp sea salt (a generous pinch)

Directions

1.  In a small pot, heat the heavy cream over medium heat.  Stirring constantly, heat until it is about to boil.  Turn off the heat before the mix boils.

2.  Add the chocolate to the heavy cream.  Let it sit for 1 minute to allow the chocolate to warm up.  Whisk until the chocolate is totally mixed into the cream.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, vanilla, sugar (optional), and salt together.

4.  Whisk a spoonful of the warm chocolate mix into the egg mix.  Continue whisking 1 spoonful at a time of the warm chocolate mix into the egg mix until you have whisked in about half of the mix.  Make sure to do this 1 spoonful at a time so that you gradually bring up the temperature of the egg and avoid scrambling it.   Once you have whisked in half of the mix, transfer everything back into the small pot and whisk to combine.

5.  Place the pot on medium heat, and stir constantly, including scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to keep the mix from burning. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens, 5-7 minutes (the mix should coat the spatula and will be the consistency of pancake batter).  Taste it at this point to see if you want to add more salt. Note: if you overcook it in this step, your final chocolate pot will be a thicker, fudgier consistency.

6.  Pour the hot mix into your serving / storing containers.  Let it come to room  temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours until it sets.

7.  Pull it out about 15 minutes before serving (the texture and chocolate tastes better not completely chilled).  Serve with a sprinkle of sea salt on top.

Variation ideas

• Flavor the cream before Step 1: coffee beans, tea leaves, herbs (lavender, mint, rosemary), toasted nuts. Heat the cream with the flavorings until just before it boils. Remove it from the heat, cover it, and let it sit for an hour to allow the flavors to infuse. Strain the cream and discard the flavorings. Proceed with Step 1.

• Replace the vanilla extract in Step 3: bourbon / whiskey /rum, hazelnut extract / liquor, orange extract, mint extract

• Add spices in Step 3: cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, paprika / cayenne, Old Bay

• Add mix-ins before Step 6: toasted chopped nuts, dried fruits, pistachio paste, peanut butter, toasted coconut. Be aware that adding these may impact the texture when you eat it.

• Serving ideas: berries, whip cream, caramel drizzle, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, whipped peanut butter, scoop of ice cream, anything you like!