Cool chocolate cream

Let's launch this post with a little French lesson. Repeat after me: pots de crème. (pronunciation: poh duh krehm.) And voila! You've just learned a new phrase in French. Stroll down the yogurt aisle in any French grocery store, and you're sure to find pots de crème everywhere. Tiny glass cups, filled with thick, rich creams in flavors ranging from pistachio to crème brulée. The only drawback is that they're usually packed with calories and fat - after all, the main ingredient is cream. Well, I'm not sure how this recipe works, but somehow it manages to combine practically nothing more than dark chocolate and 2% milk for a result that's irresistibly creamy and rich.

Although these can be enjoyed warm, they're equally delicious chilled and served with a spot of whipped cream on top.

Cool Chocolate Cream

Makes 8 small cups

4 cups milk (I used 2%, and it worked perfectly)

9 oz. dark chocolate

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. butter

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with approximately 1/4 cup of the milk. When the mixture is completely liquid, remove from heat and stir in the sugar and the flour. Replace the saucepan over low heat and add the remaining milk. Stir the mixture constantly until it has thickened and rises to a boil two or three times. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, then pour into individual glass cups and allow to cool at room temperature. Once the creams are cool, place them in the refrigerator until serving.

As you can see, this is a very simple recipe - ideal if you're in a hurry, since everything can come together in about 15 minutes (except the time for cooling). You can experiment with toppings - crushed nuts, cocoa powder, or shredded coconut could all be great options. Bon appetit!