New York, Revisited

So, the holidays are over and I've had another crazed week of travel. Yesterday I experienced snow, pouring rain and roaring winds in of all places....Arizona. I managed to get on the last flight out of Phoenix yesterday morning before all the flights out were cancelled. As my way to unwind I spent most of today cooking (only to go out to dinner tonight!!!)... When Dan and I were in New York last month, one of the highlights (for me anyway) was dinner at Balthazar. It was one of those meals were you stuff yourself and still force yourself to order dessert. I indulged in a Chocolate Pot de Creme with toasted coconut and I think hazelnuts (it seems years ago...) Today I tried my hand at a Chocolate Pot de Creme with my addition of coffee. I think coffee and chocolate go hand in hand because even a little bit of coffee really helps to intensify the flavors of the chocolate. I garnished with a citrus poppy seed cookie I made today too. I'll show you that recipe tomorrow.

Chocolate Pot de Creme

1 1/4 cups half and half

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat the half and half in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Add the coffee and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add chocolate and sugar and let cool slightly (about 5 minutes). After allowing the mixture to set, stir to make chocolate mixture smooth.

In a medium bowl, stir together egg yolks, cocoa, salt and vanilla. Gradually begin adding the hot chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly so the eggs don't cook. After thoroughly combining, strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring cup. Divide the strained mixture between 4 -4oz. ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the baking dish with hot water until it reaches 1/2 way up the side of the ramekins (water bath). Bake for about 30 minutes until the center is just set. Remove from oven and carefully remove ramekins from hot water and allow to cool. When cool, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.