Easy Chocolate Pots de Crème – A deliciously rich and creamy no-bake chocolate pudding that is super easy to make, and only requires 5 simple ingredients!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Chocolate desserts are my absolutely favourite. I will always choose the chocolate option over anything else for dessert – even better if they’re super easy to make and NO-BAKE!
Pots de Crème means “pots of custard” or “pots of cream” in French, and is originally made with eggs and baked in the oven. But, I bring you a super quick and easy no-bake alternative to Chocolate Pots de Crème.
These chocolate puddings are deliciously rich, thick, and creamy, and you only need 5 simple ingredients to throw them together.
If you’re a chocolate lover with a big sweet tooth, then you are gonna love these puddings!
Looking for more no-bake chocolate desserts? Check out my White Chocolate Raspberry Tart, No-Bake Double Chocolate Cheesecake, and my No-Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make these desserts. You can find my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list with their amounts.
- Chocolate: You’ll need 70% cocoa dark chocolate – I love Lindt.
- Double/heavy cream
- Caster/granulated sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
How to make Easy Chocolate Pots de Crème
To make these chocolate puddings, simply add the chocolate to a large heat-proof bowl, and set aside.
Add the cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla to a microwave-safe bowl or jug, and heat on high for 1 minute. My microwave is 800W, so adjust the timing if necessary.
Stir, then heat for a further 30 seconds until just hot, but NOT boiling. Over-heating the cream will result in the chocolate pudding being too runny, and will struggle to set in the fridge.
Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute, then whisk together until completely melted and smooth. The mixture should be slightly thick and silky smooth.
Evenly divide the chocolate mixture between three 4-oz ramekins, cover with clingfilm, and refrigerate for at least 2 – 4 hours until set, or desired texture.
Refrigerate overnight for a more firm chocolate ganache texture (like pictured).
These puddings are quite rich, so you may want to use four ramekins (instead of three) and fill them up only halfway. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients, their measurements, and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
NOTE: For best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup measurements. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough, and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
These Easy Chocolate Pots de Crème are:
- incredibly quick and easy to make
- so rich, decadent, and creamy
- no-bake, and only requires 5 simple ingredients
- perfect for the chocolate lovers in your life
How long will these Chocolate Pots de Crème last? These puddings can be kept in the fridge, covered tightly with clingfilm, for up to 1 week.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐️ review! I’d love to see your take on it — snap a photo and tag me on Instagram or Facebook with #simplybakeblog!
Try these no-bake desserts next!
- White Chocolate Raspberry Tart
- No-Bake Mint Chocolate Cream Pie
- No-Churn Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream
- Chocolate Fridge Cake
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Easy Chocolate Pots de Crème
Ingredients
- 4 oz (115g) 70% cocoa dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I love Lindt)
- 1 cup (240ml) double/heavy cream
- ¼ cup (50g) caster/granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the chocolate to a large heat-proof bowl, and set aside.
- Add the cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla to a microwave-safe bowl or jug, and heat on high for 1 minute (800W). Stir, then heat for a further 30 seconds until just hot, but not boiling.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk together until melted and combined. The mixture should be thick and silky smooth.
- Evenly divide the mixture between three 4-oz ramekins*, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 – 4 hours until set.
- Garnish with whipped cream and/or chocolate shavings before serving.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I neglected to mention two things:
1) I’m using gas stovetop
2) After heating, add the chocolate to the cream or vv. Doesn’t really matter.
Crazy thing… I make this recipe all the time. It does set. Here’s the key: NO MICROWAVE! I have made it in the microwave. It doesn’t set. I chop the chocolate (4.4 oz 70% dark bar from Aldi which is supposedly actually Cadbury chocolate). I chop the chocolate somewhat fine then heat the HWC, sugar, and salt until hot enough to make first wee bubbles on the side. Add vanilla (and/or bourbon or cointreau with bit of orange oil), pour and fridge. It’s set within a couple of hours. I wonder if microwave recipe doesn’t heat the cream enough. It’s a top requested recipe and I often quadruple the recipe for dinner parties. I get 4 servings per recipe, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Listen to everyone who said this doesn’t set. It does not. We had chocolate soup for dessert. Based on feedback alone I urge the creator to edit or make recommendations on how to make this recipe work.
I made this last night, it didn’t set up even after 12 hours in the fridge. It was also grainy, but that could just be my mixing method. This morning, I ended up pouring all the little pots into a big bowl and whipping it with a hand mixer – it turned out like chocolate whipped cream (still grainy though).
I feel like the ratio of chocolate to cream is wrong, it seems like it should be closer to equal to turn out like the recipe photos. I made another recipe this morning that had 5 oz chocolate to 3/4 cup cream, and it was much thicker, more creamy, and ganache-like.
I think I might try this recipe again and adjust either the chocolate up or the cream down (or both). Other than that, it was such a quick and easy recipe! It took almost no time at all to put together, I was able to make it in just a few minutes right before bed.
I have made this 3 times and it has never set up. I froze it and ate it like ice cream. I’m so frustrated because the picture looks so delicious!
Followed directions exactly with matching ingredients. Never set. Was delicious though and we mixed it with whipped cream.
Mine never set. Any ideas why this might have happened? I followed the recipe exactly.
Did you use heavy whipping cream? And did you also weigh your ingredients out instead of using cups?
Marsha,
I used heavy whipping cream and used a digital scale and mine didn’t set in the fridge over night either, any way I can fix it because it’s too runny to eat on its own.
@Jess, Just whip it with electric handmixer until peaks form like whipped cream… turns into a very tasty chocolate mousse.
Beware— this doesn’t set! Left it overnight in the fridge and still soup in the morning. Ended up whipping it and making chocolate mousse.
@Amanda, that is what I did also… turned out to be a very nice chocolate mousse but disappointed it didn’t turn out like the photo.
For some reason mine aren’t setting fully, only the top half, any advice? =/
I used milk and added egg to thicken mine up. Turned out good!
I am so disappointed I wasted all of these good ingredients using your recipe. To me it tasted like a thinned, gooey fudge rather than any Pot De Creme Ive ever had. Pot de Creme is supposed to be silky soft, fluffy & decadent with the slightest bit of giggle to it. This recipe is just a blob of chocolate.
Pots de Crème means “pots of custard” or “pots of cream” in French, and is originally made with eggs and baked in the oven (hense the jiggle you mentioned). This is an easy, no-bake alternative, which obviously can’t compare to the real thing, but is still very delicious.
Can it be made with half and half?
I haven’t tried it, sorry.
What can i use instead of sugar to make a low sugar version?
Hi! You can use coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave instead 🙂
Hi, made this. All enjoyed it though after setting there were some bubbles on top. However, it didn’t alter the taste. Wonder why that happened?
Thanks.
Hi! I can’t say why bubbles appeared on top after setting. Perhaps some air-bubbles needed popping by tapping the ramekins on a surface beforehand.
Hi..want to try this..but can I cook the cream, sugar etc over the stove. If yes for how long…should I wait for it to be thickened/ or it bubble? I am having issues with my microwave.. so please help
Hi! You can do this step on the stove. Simply heat over a low/medium heat until melted and smooth, but not boiling hot. Enjoy 🙂
Very nice recipe thank you.
Do you know if this would work with the thick part of canned coconut milk instead of heavy cream?
Instead of heavy creamy, you can definitely use coconut milk or cream 🙂