Easy 5 Minute No Bake Pots de Crème

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Need a quick and easy dessert that will still impress your family, friends, and dinner guests? Look no further! This easy no bake pots de crème can be whipped up in five minutes and only contains five ingredients, yet feels and tastes oh so fancy!

Truth be told, I’m not an expert baker. Elaborate, fancy, and beautiful desserts are generally not my thing. But what I do love are simple recipes with simple ingredients that still taste amazing. This no bake pots de crème recipe is a perfect example of just that.

What is Pot De Crème?

Pot de crème pronounced “poe-duh-krem” is a decadent and rich chocolatey custard-like dessert with French origins. Pot de crème literally translates to “pot of cream” giving you a hint as to what you can expect. It was commonly served on elaborate tables in both European and American homes in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. 

The smooth and creamy chocolate custard inside is as well known as the famous porcelain cups the dessert is typically served in. You can learn more about the history of pot de crème cups in this article.

Pots de Creme vs Mousse

Pots de crème is typically richer and denser than chocolate mousse which tends to be lighter and airier. Mousse generally contains both whipped cream and whipped egg whites to give it a lighter texture. Alternatively, pots de crème is more commonly heated for a thicker and denser consistency.

Easy No Bake Pots de Crème – A Perfect Homestead Treat

After getting our family milk cow several years ago, we learned a lot about how changes in weather, diet, and calving can greatly impact the milk and cream produced. For example, after calving, she tends to reserve a greater amount of cream for the young calf. In the winter, especially in very cold weather, we’ve found that her milk supply often decreases as she prioritizes staying warm over making milk. But her ratio of cream produced usually increases in frigid temps. The quality of her cream also changed dramatically when she was eating fresh green grass in the spring and summer vs hay in the winter months.

We’ve learned that the type of cream produced in different seasons works better for different applications. 

For instance, now I prefer to stock up on making all of the butter in the spring and summer months when our cow is eating fresh green grass because the cream lends itself better for butter making. In the winter, I prefer to use the cream more for other applications like making this no bake pot de cream, cultured cream, and ice cream. And because her cream tends to go up in the winter, there is usually an abundance to go around. Which means lots of delicious cooking!

After stocking up on an overwhelming amount of cream over the last month or so, this no bake pots de crème has become a go to favorite in our house. With the featured ingredients being cream and egg yolks, pots de crème is a perfect homestead dessert.

Why No Bake Pots de Crème?

While many recipes out there call for heating on the stove, pouring into individual dishes, and then baking before allowing your pots de crème to chill, we’ve found that it tastes just as good (if not better) by skipping the baking step all together.

By simply warming the cream and egg yolk mixture together on low heat on the stove top until it thickens, then pouring it into your chocolate and blending, everything comes together perfectly. Once refrigerated, the no bake pots de crème solidifies just right when chilled without the need for extra baking or hands on time.

Frequently Asked Questions About No Bake Pots de Crème

What kind of chocolate is best to use? 

This is very much up to your personal preference. We prefer a semi-sweet chocolate chip. If you prefer to do an allergy free option, we love the Enjoy Life chocolate chips (found at ???). When semi-sweet chocolate is used, there’s no need to add any additional sugar to the recipe. However, if you prefer to use a bitter chocolate or dark chocolate for this recipe (which would also be delicious), you may want to think about adding ¼ cup or so of organic cane sugar to your pots de crème to sweeten it a little.

How can I use the remaining egg whites? 

This no bake pots de crème recipe calls for 4 egg yolks leaving you with 4 egg whites to use in something else. My typical way to use up extra egg whites is to either make a batch of our yummy granola which calls for 4 egg whites or to just toss them in with some scrambled eggs that we are already making.

How long will this pot de crème last in the fridge? 

I’d try to eat it within the first 2 days of making. Typically, I like to make it either the night before or the morning that I plan to serve it to allow it to chill for the necessary 6-8 hours, but not have it lingering around too long.

How many servings does this make? 

This no bake pots de crème safely makes 4-6 servings depending on how big you want your servings to be. Because there are 5 people in our family, this recipe is the perfect amount for all of us.

How do I serve no bake pots de crème? 

Making pots de crème is a great excuse to pull out any fancy porcelain or China tea sets you may have laying around to give it the fancy look along with the decadent taste. Individual ramekin cups also work great. Our favorite way to serve pots de crème is with a spoonful of cultured cream or crème fraiche on top. These two go together perfectly.

If you have more questions, please ask in the comments below.

Let’s get cooking!

Easy No Bake Pots de Crème Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups cream
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Whisk cream, egg yolks and salt. Heat to around 160 degrees Fahrenheit until mixture thickens and begins coating back of spoon (without curdling).

2. While heating place 1 cup chocolate chips with 1 tsp vanilla in blender.

3. Pour warm cream/egg yolk mixture over chocolate chips so they melt.

4. Blend until smooth and creamy.

5. Pour into individual bowls and let set for 6-8 hours in the refrigerator.

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Looking for more recipes from our home dairy? Check out our: 

homemade ice cream
cultured cream
homemade yogurt

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