Chocolate Pots de Creme with Whipped Coconut Milk

Oh, I've been a bad blogger. My updates have been rather infrequent lately, but can you blame me? Libby started kindergarten, and we're just now finally settling into our school-year groove. However, I have been cooking, and if ever there was a recipe worth waiting for, this is it!

My parents just recently moved back to my hometown of St. Joe, Mo. That's only two hours away from Omaha, so we can easily get away to see them over a weekend. Which is just what we did this past weekend, and while there, I used my mom's super-duper blender (mine is such a dud!) to make this recipe from The Pioneer Woman. (Thanks to my buddy Tysha for telling me about it!)

The trick to this awesome recipe is to make sure your coffee is screaming hot. Boiling hot! That's what melts the chocolate chips and cooks the eggs. So don't skimp on the heat! And make sure your eggs are room temperature. That's super important, too!

My entire family went crazy for this recipe. My kids were clamoring for it -- good thing I used decaf coffee!

Chocolate Pots de Creme

12 oz. package MSPI-friendly semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 whole eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

8 oz. strong hot coffee

First thing to do is to take your eggs out of the refrigerator ahead of time and let them come to room temperature before starting.

When eggs are at room temperature you can begin by placing the chocolate chips into a blender. Follow this with the eggs and the vanilla. Add a pinch of salt. Turn on the blender.

While it is blending, remove the circular disk from the blender lid and very slowly pour in 8 ounces of strong, VERY HOT coffee. It is essential that your coffee be extremely hot in order for the final product to be the right consistency and texture.

Blend for a minute or so until mixture is smooth and fairly free of visible bits of chocolate.

Pour the mixture into your serving glasses (I used seven half-cup glass bowls) leaving plenty of room to add a heap of whipped coconut milk later. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 to 4 hours so the mixture has a chance to set. Serve with a dollop of whipped coconut milk.

Whipped Coconut Milk

1 can whole fat coconut milk
powdered sugar

Store the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for a minimum of seven days (make sure it is upright). The longer the better, as this will better separate the fat from the liquid.

After it is refrigerated for a number of days, open the can with the can opener and you will find that all the fat will have risen to the top of the can, with the liquid at the bottom.
Scoop out all of the coconut fat and place into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Take a hand mixer and blend the coconut on high speed, working around it in a circular motion. After a few minutes it will start to get fluffy. Continue doing this until it becomes very light and creamy, adding in a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar to taste. 
 
Tip: Make sure you plan ahead and get that coconut milk in the fridge for several days. I didn't leave mine in the fridge long enough, and that's why mine is non-fluffy in the pic -- but it sure still tasted good!