[HubUK]

I made this recipe some time ago after seeing Jamie Oliver do it on TV - simplicity itself but what a wonderful decadent dessert to round off any dinner or just to enjoy when you need cheering up.

Chocolate Pot or Pot au Chocolat

Ingredients

1/2 pint single cream
200 gms plain chocolate (minimum of 70% cocoa solids)
2 egg yolks
3 tbsp / 50 mls brandy (Cointreau or Grand Marnier as alternatives)
20 gms butter

Method
[list=1]
Heat cream but do not allow it to boil.
Add crumbled / broken chocolate to the cream and melt, stirring all the time to combine the two ingredients to a smooth consistency.
Add egg yolks and brandy and beat lightly to combine with chocolate mixture.
Ensuring that the mixture is not too hot (warm) stir in the butter until it completely melts and is blended.
Pour into ramekins and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.[/list=1]
Serves 4

[W.DeBord]

Are you sure you don't bake your mixture before cooling, like pots de creme? Otherwise you have raw egg chocolate pudding...

[HubUK]

No that is exactly as it should be done. The mixture is still warm when the egg yolks go in so I don't think the egg would remain uncooked.

The only heat applied is to the cream and this is to bring it to just below boiling point.

[W.DeBord]

Ooh, I don't want to be pushie, but that is a bad method and shouldn't be used due to the danger it poises to people. Raw eggs MUST be put back on the heat and brought up to 170 degrees. Sometimes raw eggs are needed, then you should use pasturized eggs to be safer. You'll see some recipes for chocolate mousse that add yolks in this fashion for the richness, but you better know each persons health before you serve them this.

Basicly his recipes is pretty close to a ganche with raw yolk added to keep the mixture from firming up. There are much better methods for making pots de creme' or chocolate pudding. I'm sure it tastes good and there are many people who think we are overly cautious. But food born illnesses can really hurt certain groups of people and our industry.

my two cents...

[HubUK]

This method of using eggs has never worried me. I think (and it is just my opinion) that we have over the last twenty or thirty years become obsessed with food and hygiene.

When there was less obsessive rules on health and food there were far less common illnesses in the world because we all built up resistance to germs, etc but now .....

Even scientists and doctors are starting to voice these sentiments.

Look what all these rules and regulations are doing to the cheese industry. Thank God the French are sticking to their traditions.

I think the rule about using pasteurised eggs in UK restaurants is totally stupid. What is wrong with normal eggs - they worked for hundreds of years without casuing problems and with common sense they will not cause problems now.

[Kimmie]

I like Joanne Chang's method. Is she still the pastry chef at Payard Pâtisserie in NYC?




David:

Eggs in Canada are definitely safer; so are eggs in the UK most probably.

Here are a few facts about eggs and salmonella in the US:

One out of every 20,000 eggs sold in the US contains salmonella bacteria, and such contaminated eggs cause more than 800,000 cases of human food poisoning every year, according to estimates released on June 5 by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Salmonella-related food poisoning has been increasing since 1976 despite efforts by the egg industry to limit the bacteria, and the USDA report is part of an ongoing effort by food safety experts to determine better ways to prevent egg-related illness. About 94% of people recover from salmonella food poisoning without medical attention, but 5% of people see a doctor, 0.5% are hospitalized and 0.05% die because of the bacteria. Those who are particularly vulnerable are infants, the elderly, pregnant women, transplant patients, and those with weakened immune systems -- about 20% of the population.

No Yolking Matter...!

[Nicko]

I think anytime you are dealing with raw eggs it is better to be safe than sorry. That last thing you would want is a lawsuit because you weren't concerned about health codes. On the other hand I do also believe that we have gone a little too far to the left (or right, take your pick) on health codes. For example here eggs are always refrigerated, but I never saw them refrigerated while I was in France.

[W.DeBord]

It's a hard call, your job is on the line if someone makes a complaint, god forbid they file a law suit. Then how do you answer to your boss, "I didn't know?"? I think about that alot, I think most pastry chefs do.

I've heard similar points....we over use anti-bacterial soaps etc... I'm always dissapointed when a freind tells me their using anti-biotics for a cold. I do agree with the basic point, definately. It's just when it invades someone elses health that I worry. I personally taste what ever worries me. I figure if I don't get samonella, then I probably haven't hurt anyone else. But I'm not sick........and that's stupid.


I'm still using raw whites in my mousses (who doesn't). So I'm certainly quilty! I feel like I'm waiting for the day that something happens, the odds have to be against me with the volume of eggs I use.

For me I draw the line and look for another recipe when the raw egg is gratuitous vs necessary, period. That's my line in the sand. That's why I spoke up on this particular recipe.

[Anneke]

David,
In a country where you could face a lawsuit, the salmonella issue is important, and you should never impose your views on the matter to your guests. I agree with you and have no problem eating a raw egg yolk on my tartare, but I wouldn't serve it in a restaurant (not unless my clients would sign a waiver!! )

As for the 'hundreds of years' that we've been salmonella-free, that is unfounded. You must realize that the life expectancy of people until relatively recently was a third of what we know today, due to a large degree because people died of illness they could not identify. That means raw eggs undoubtedly killed a great many people. Salmonella is NOT something that we can build a resistance to, and using that logic with respect to food-borne illness is very dangerous.

[HubUK]

Strange but I have not been notified of new messages on this thread. I thought it had died!

Anyway, just like to say I thought all your comments were interesting and I don't disagree with anyone.

Now for the crunch - can any of you provide me with a similar recipe not using raw eggs which I can both cook myself and feature on Hub-UK. You know the sort of thing. You take the first mourthful, stop breathing and then a deep "WOW!" comes bubbling up.

I would also like a recipe which I could vary by adding perhaps brandy, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, rum, etc.

[W.DeBord]

Rich heavy chocolate dessert ideas to replace the raw egg dessert previously mentioned....

Chocolate pots de creme

Chocolate creme brulee'

Any dense flourless chocolate cake

Chocolate fondue

Truffles

Chocolate pate'

All of these can be adjusted using any flavor liqours, extracts, nuts in them.

[Isa]

Wendy, how do you make your chocolate pate? Is it based on a marquise?


All of a sudden I have a craving for chocolate, I wonder why....

[W.DeBord]

It's been about 10 years since I've made a choc. pate'. I can't remember my exact recipe off hand but it certainly could be made a couple different ways. I think it was a bombe with choc., I can look it up if you want?

[HubUK]

You can't go doing this!

You name desserts like these:

Chocolate pots de creme

Chocolate creme brulee'

Any dense flourless chocolate cake

Chocolate fondue

Truffles

Chocolate paté

but you don't let us have any recipes. That is sheer torture!!!

[Kimmie]

Click here... for the basic recipes
[list=1][*]Crème Caramel[*]Crème Brûlée[*]Pot de crème[/list=1]


For chocolate truffles, here are some nifty ones,


just click here You can make them also with a simple ganache. I also have a recipe for "fried" chocolate truffles from Michel Richard. It's published in Cooking with Master Chefs (Julia Child). I'm getting my books out of storage soon. Let me know if you are interested.