When all else fails…chocolate.

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. Pink hearts and fluffy puffs of cutesy…things…are invading our homes through our televisions and our Internet. And there isn’t a thing we can do about it. Valentine’s Day is what it is: an overly commercialized holiday designed specifically to give women an undue sense of entitlement. Don’t get me wrong; I love it when my boyfriend showers me with attention for no reason. But do we really need an official holiday for it?

Maybe I’m just bitter. Last Valentine’s Day, I attempted an elaborate, three-course meal as a present to my boyfriend. Those of you who read my blog post from this time last year will know that that meal really didn’t end well…and I still have the scar to prove it. But, being the dedicated budget chef that I am, I’ve decided to try romantic cooking yet again—only this time, without the oven.

No-Bake Pots de Crème

You will need:

  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (OR ½ cup cocoa powder, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup butter)
  • 2 tbsp dark rum
  • pinch of salt

Traditionally, pots de crème are custards that are baked and then chilled. My track record with ovens around the holidays isn’t the greatest, so when I found this Rachael Ray recipe on a random food blog, it was just perfect.

Put the milk in a small pan over medium-low heat and slowly bring to a boil. Don’t crank the heat up too high or you’ll scald the milk. While that’s heating, combine the other ingredients in a blender and blend until liquefied. Once the milk reaches a slow boil, slowly stream it into the blender on low speed. The heat of the milk actually cooks the egg in this recipe, so don’t worry about the fact that you won’t be formally cooking the custard.

After everything’s blended, pour the custard into two small ramekins. I myself don’t have ramekins, so I just poured them into coffee cups—works perfectly. Pop them in the freezer for 1-2 hours, until they are firm on top but still a little jiggly in the center. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired, and serve.

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