Say hello to the most beautiful little cup of love.
OH MY GOSH is right.
These are decadent chocolate pots de crème—small cups of rich chocolate bliss that feel fancy but are really just pure comfort in a spoon.
The flavor combination here is everything: deep dark chocolate that tastes like hot cocoa, finished with a toasted marshmallow on top. These tiny desserts are intensely rich and silky—perfect when you want a few indulgent bites rather than a huge slice of cake.
This isn’t actually hot chocolate in a cup, but the pots de crème capture that hot-cocoa-and-marshmallow spirit wonderfully. If you love comforting pairings like chocolate and peanut butter, you’ll understand how addictive this is.
The pots de crème recipe comes from a new cookbook by Naomi of Bakers Royale. Her book is full of recipes I want to make right away—the photography and styling are gorgeous and inspiring. It’s one of those cookbooks you’ll dog-ear with recipes to try.
This was my first time making pots de crème. It’s somewhere between a pudding and a custard, with a silky, cloud-like texture that feels luxurious on the tongue. The method takes a bit more effort than instant pudding, but the result is absolutely worth the time.
These are baked in a water bath to get the perfect set—set the ramekins in a pan, fill with hot water, and bake until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly jiggly. After cooling, chill them for several hours so the texture becomes smooth and concentrated.
Top each chilled pot de crème with a homemade marshmallow and toast it briefly with a kitchen torch or over a small flame right before serving for that perfect golden finish. The toasted marshmallow adds a smoky, sweet contrast that makes each spoonful feel nostalgic and special.
Hot Chocolate and Toasted Marshmallow Pots de Creme
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Ingredients
pots de creme
- 1 1/2 cups chopped dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 6 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
marshmallows
- 2 packets (about 5 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
- 8 tablespoons cold water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
pots de creme
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Preheat the oven to 300°F. Arrange 8 ramekins or small heatproof mugs in a baking dish or roasting pan.
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Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract.
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Heat the cream, milk, cocoa powder and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking until just simmering. Very slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Pour the combined mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 2–3 minutes, then whisk until smooth and the chocolate is melted.
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Divide the custard among the ramekins, leaving room at the top. Place the baking dish in the oven and carefully pour hot water into the dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake 30–35 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still jiggle slightly. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
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Top each chilled pot de crème with a toasted marshmallow before serving.
marshmallows
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Sprinkle powdered sugar over an 8×8 pan sprayed with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and 8 tablespoons cold water; set aside.
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In a small saucepan combine 1/3 cup cold water and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the gelatin mixture, bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Transfer to a mixer bowl, let cool slightly, then add vanilla bean paste and salt. Beat on medium-high 10–15 minutes until white, glossy and thick. Spread into the prepared pan and dust with powdered sugar. Let set 4 hours or overnight.
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Once set, loosen the edges with a knife, invert the marshmallow slab onto a cutting board, and cut into squares.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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For real. Look at that bite.