Chocolate Cherry Pots de Crème

By Mary Berg

Sweet and chocolatey, this dessert is creamy, dreamy and oh-so delicious.

Ingredients

Heat your oven to 325ºF and set a kettle of water to boil. Set four three-quarters to one cup ramekins or oven-safe dishes in a nine-inch square baking pan and set aside.
Combine the cream, milk, and cardamom in a small pot and simmer over medium-low heat. Remove the pot from the heat, add the finely chopped dark chocolate, and set aside for two to three minutes. Using a whisk, gently stir the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and combined.
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract and salt. Set the mixing bowl on a kitchen towel to stabilize everything, and using one hand to continue whisking, slowly pour in the hot cream and chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to strain out any curdled egg yolk. I like to strain it into a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout, which helps with pouring.
Divide the cherries into the ramekins and pour over the chocolate mixture. Carefully pour enough boiling water around the ramekins into the baking dish so that it comes about halfway up the sides, and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the aluminum foil and allow the chocolate pots to cool slightly before removing them from the water.
Enjoy warm or chilled with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche. Enjoy!