Chris Koetke shows us how to make pot de crème

CLEVELAND - With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you may feel like making something sweet for your sweetie.  Try Chris Koetke’s decadent pot de crème dessert.

Recipe for Valentine Pot de Creme

Difficulty: Moderate

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves: 6

1 ½ cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 ½ teaspoons orange zest (the orange part of the peel—without any of the white portion), minced

6 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate (the best available), chopped into small pieces or grated

7 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier

1. Bring cream, milk, and orange zest to a boil.  Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30-45 minutes. 
2. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, vanilla, and Grand Marnier until the mixture thickens slightly.
3. Place chocolate in a separate bowl.
4. Return milk/cream mixture to heat and bring back to a boil.  Pour ½ c. over the chocolate.  Stir gently until the chocolate is melted.  Add another ½ c. of the hot milk/cream mixture.  Reserve chocolate mixture.
5. Pour the remaining hot liquid slowly on the yolk/sugar mixture, whisking constantly. 
6. Combine the chocolate and yolk mixtures. 
7. Using a spoon or a small ladle, skim the foam from the top of the mixture.  Ladle into custard cups. 
8. Place the custard cups in a baking pan.  Fill the pan with lukewarm water until the water reaches ½ way up on the sides of the custard cups. 
9. Bake in a 300° oven until the custard “sets” ( about 45-50 min.).  The custard is set if the top barely wiggles when the custard is moved.  Remove from the oven and water bath.  Let cool.  If not eaten within 2 hours, chill in refrigerator until needed.
10. Serve with whipped cream and heart shaped cookies. 

Put a dollop of whip cream on top and that makes a perfect ending to a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner.