Peppermint Pot de Creme

This take on the traditional French "pot of cream" features a minty, chocolaty flavor–ideal for the holidays. It is a rich custardy version of mint hot chocolate and is great garnished with crushed peppermint sticks.

Pot de Creme

2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon peppermint flavor

Pot de Creme

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place eggs and egg yolks in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk together and set aside. Place milk, heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the mild mixture reaches 120 degrees. Stir in chocolate chips; continue stirring over heat until the chocolate is well combined. Remove pan from heat. Very slowly whisk the milk mixture into the eggs. You want to warm the eggs with the milk mixture slowly so as not to cook the eggs. Whisk in the peppermint flavor.

2. Divide the Pot de Crème mixture into eight 6-ounce custard cups. Place the cups into a 2-inch-deep 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Carefully fill the pan with water, just enough to come three-quarters of the way up the side of the cups. Cover the pan with foil; bake the Pot de Crème for 35-40 minutes, until almost firm. Remove from water bath; place a piece of plastic wrap directly on (and covering the surface of) each Pot de Crème to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled through. Remove plastic wrap before serving and garnish each Pot de Crème with sweetened whipped cream. Recipe provided below.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until it begins to thicken, add sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.

The Pot de Crème can be made up to two days in advance. Sweetened Whipped Cream can be made up to 4 hours in advance of serving and kept chilled in the refrigerator until serving.

Serves 8