Irresistible Little Custards—Vanilla Pots de Crème Topped with Pecan Toffee Crunch

Vanilla Pots de Creme with Pecan Crunch Topping 2When it comes to desserts, custards have been long-time favorites in our family. My dad adored a Southern staple of plain boiled custard. My spouse never met a crème brûlée that he didn’t like, and will fore go exquisite cakes, tarts, or pastries on any restaurant menu for custard with a burnt sugar topping. For me easy-to-make pots de crème are irresistible.

The French version of custard, pots de crème are assembled with a basic trio of eggs, sugar, and cream and can be complemented with an infinite variety of flavors. I’ve made dark chocolate ones garnished with white chocolate whipped cream, savored chocolate and chestnut creations accented with dark rum, and swooned over butterscotch and coconut pots de crème.

This spring, though, I decided to make classic pot de crèmes scented with vanilla, tweaking the traditional version slightly. Instead of vanilla extract, the pulp from a vanilla bean provided a more subtle taste, and in place of heavy cream, crème fraîche was a more delectable option. As a contrast to the custard’s velvet-smooth texture, I added a crunchy topping of pecans and toffee. Continue reading

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cake

Perfect for Valentine celebrations, this rich, moist, single-layer torte prepared with semisweet chocolate, ground pecans, and a generous amount of butter, is irresistible. The soft texture of the cake, the creaminess of the caramel, and the crunch of the nuts and chips combine to form a celestial trinity. This recipe serves eight easily so you can make it for a crowd, or offer it to a single special person and have some delicious leftovers.
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