Da Hong Pao Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème
A dense, silky dark chocolate pot de crème infused with Da Hong Pao oolong—roasted minerality meets bittersweet cocoa in a small jar of pure pleasure.
Dark chocolate and Da Hong Pao share more than they might seem to: both are deeply roasted, both carry notes of dried fruit, stone, and toasted nut, and both finish with a long, mineral-tinged aftertaste. Folded into a classic French pot de crème, they make one of the most balanced chocolate desserts you'll ever taste.
The technique is straightforward—infuse the tea into warm cream, build a custard with yolks and a little sugar, pour over good-quality 70% dark chocolate, and bake gently in a water bath. The hardest part is choosing the chocolate; spend on a single-origin bar with floral or fruity notes that mirror the tea.
Bake the pots until they just barely jiggle. Overbaking turns them grainy, while underbaking keeps them too loose. A long chill in the fridge then sets the texture into something between mousse and ganache—dense, glossy, and impossibly silky on the spoon.
Finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt and a few fresh raspberries, or for the most direct echo of the tea, a single piece of dried Wuyi rock sugar. Serve cold with a small cup of fresh Da Hong Pao alongside.
Ingredients
- 200g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 tbsp Da Hong Pao oolong leaves
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt for garnish
- Fresh raspberries to serve (optional)
How to make it
- 1Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Set 6 small ramekins or glass jars in a deep baking dish.
- 2In a saucepan, combine cream and milk. Heat to just simmering, then remove from heat. Add Da Hong Pao leaves, cover, and steep 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on leaves. You should have about 1.75 cups of infused liquid—top up with cream if needed.
- 3Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Reheat the infused cream to just simmering and pour over the chocolate. Wait 1 minute, then stir slowly until completely smooth.
- 4In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla until pale. Slowly whisk in the warm chocolate-tea mixture in a thin stream.
- 5Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a measuring jug. Divide among the ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- 6Bake 30–35 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle slightly. Lift ramekins from the water bath, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve cold with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a few raspberries.
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