Pressure Cooker Chocolate Pots de Crème
Chocolate Pots de Crème is a decadent and creamy chocolate custard dessert. Baked chocolate custard made in an Instant Pot is effortless and quick. This Pressure Cooker Chocolate Pots de Crème recipe is elegant enough for entertaining, but simple enough for a casual weeknight dessert.
Desserts are one of my favorite things to make in the pressure cooker. I bought these fun, squatty 1/2 pint mason jars specifically for making desserts in a pressure cooker. Someone posted them in the Instant Pot Facebook group and I just couldn’t resist buying them.
Making Chocolate Pots de Crème in an Instant Pot
I’ve made pressure cooker custard desserts before, but I have been wanting to make Pots de Crème in the pressure cooker for a while now. The fancy name is just a French term for thick, rich pudding (really a custard since it’s made with eggs.) It’s usually baked in the oven in a water bath, so I knew it would be perfect “baked” in the pressure cooker.
Although I made it in my fun new mason jars, you could also use custard dishes or ramekins. You’ll also need two racks. One for the bottom of the pot and one between the layers. If you only have one rack, others have used rolled up aluminum foil to raise the cups off the bottom of the pot.
When it comes to chocolate desserts, my family prefers milk chocolate to dark chocolate. So I used half bittersweet chocolate and half milk chocolate in the baked chocolate custards. You should use whatever chocolate you love to eat. The better the chocolate, the better the chocolate custard will be.
I topped my pressure cooked Chocolate Pots de Crème with whipped cream and real chocolate jimmies, but shaved chocolate or chocolate curls would be an elegant addition. If you’re a chocolate lover, you need to give this recipe a try.
Pressure Cooker Chocolate Pots de Crème
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
- whipped cream and grated chocolate for decoration, optional
Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring the cream and milk to a simmer.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Slowly whisk in the hot cream and milk. Whisk in chocolate until blended. Pour into 6 custard cups. (I used 1/2 pint mason jars.)
Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pressure cooker and place the trivet in the bottom. Place 3 cups on the trivet and place a second trivet on top of the cups. Stack the remaining three cups on top of the second trivet.
Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 6 minutes. When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 15 minutes and then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure. When valve drops carefully remove lid.
Carefully remove the cups to a wire rack to cool uncovered. When cool, refrigerate covered with plastic wrap for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Tools for Making Pressure Cooker Chocolate Pots de Crème:
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Hi Barbara,
I have tried this recipe twice and both times the pots have bubbles over. Can I ask, are we to cover the pots? It’s the only thing I can think of… thank you.
Hi Lesley – sorry you’re having trouble with the recipe. What size pots are you using? How full are they? Are you maybe overmixing the batter? I haven’t tried covering them, but you could give it a try. I cover my dulce de leche https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-dulce-de-leche/
Would I be able to use stabilized whip cream? Would I be able to put the lids on and refrigerate? Take out to parks? How long will they last without being refrigerated? Do you believe they would be great for a bake sale?
Hi Shri – If you want to make these for a bake sale, you’d probably want to keep them in a cooler with ice until you sell them. You could decorate the top with stabilized whipped cream. Once they’ve cooled to room temperature you can put the lids on and refrigerate. It could be a fun bake sale item but the jar would add to the cost. If I was doing them for a bake sale, I would probably do something like this that doesn’t require cooking. https://www.barbarabakes.com/white-chocolate-raspberry-cheesecake-in-a-jar/
Made some last night and just wanted to give my 2 cent’s worth.
I don’t recommend using 100% of the new espresso chocolate chips for this. The good Lord knows I love dark chocolate and love espresso…BUT, WAY TOO STRONG….LOL
Thanks for the tip Tara!
Would I be able to put a cookie crumb crust in the bottom of the jars for these?
Hi Rose – I haven’t tried it, but you could definitely experiment and try a couple with a cookie crumb crust and some without and see how it works. Let me know if you give it a try.
This looks so great! Can white chocolate be used for this?
Thanks Triana – I haven’t tried it but I think it should work.
If I use 4 oz. ramekins, would the time be the same or a bit shorter? Thanks.
Hi Ann – 4 ounce ramekins should work. I would try half the time – 3 mintues.
Thank you! I always appreciate your quick responses.
Have you ever tried a non dairy milk? I was thinking full fat coconut creme from a can. I love this recipe but dairy and me are not friends. We aren’t even on speaking terms😀. Any thoughts on changing that and how it would effect consistency or cook time?
Hi Mandy – I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work fine. Let me know if you try it. Thanks!
I would like to make smaller ones using the white corningware ramekins. I think they are about 2 oz. I am making these for children, so I want smaller servings. Should I cut back the time?
Hi Julie – yes, you’ll need to reduce the cook time. If they’re 2 ounces, my guess is a 2 minute cook time.
Whoops, I don’t know what I was thinking. I have a bag of Ghirardelli Premium Baking Chips, 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate that I need to melt. What is the best way?
Thanks.
A double boiler is always the best, most gentle way to melt chocolate. However, in a pinch, you can microwave it in a glass dish, just stir often, and only microwave it for about 30 seconds
Okay, I don’t have a double boiler so I’ll have to jury-rig something. I’m having a hard time visualizing how the 6 jars – I bought the ones you have – fit into my 6 qt IP. I can add the water, put a low trivet in the pot and place 3 jars on the trivet and then use a trivet with longer legs in the pot and put the remaining 3 jars on that? This might be one of those times where a video would be helpful. Thanks.
No – you don’t need a trivet with longer legs, the second trivet rests on the jars, you can even use a pizza screen https://amzn.to/2E5bAVj, or something similar between the layers.
How do you melt the chocolate? I have a bar of Ghirrardeli chocolate. Do I melt it in the microwave? If so, for how long? Or melt it in a small saucepan on the stove?
Thanks.
Do you cover the jars inside the pressure cooker, or, with foil to keep the condensation to a minimum? Thanks, F
Hi Felicia – I did not cover the jars with foil. There should be very little condensation and if there is a drop or two, you can use a corner of a paper towel to soak it up.
Yay thanks for sharing! Instead of consuming vanilla ice cream for dinner as part of my military diet, Ill have this instead. Can I use cocoa so its not too sweet?
Hi Kit – no, cocoa would not work in this recipe.
Can I also use dark chocolate for this? I prefer dark chocolate since it’s not too sweet and it has that rich chocolate color that I really love. I have a few unused cups in the cupboard that I used for jams before. It’s time to use these again for some awesome decadent. Thank you for sharing your recipe, Barbara! I’m so excited to try this.
Yes, it should work well with dark chocolate. Enjoy!
Can milk chocolate be used in place of bitter sweet chocolate?
Hi Corena – yes, they will just be a little sweeter. Enjoy!
I can leave out chocolate and just get a good custard right????
Hi Dave – I haven’t tried it, but it should give you a delicious egg custard without the chocolate.
The first time I made these, they were delicious but came out rather hard and chalky, rather than custard like. The second time I made them, I used all the same ingredients (Ghiardelli 60% cocoa, bittersweet chips), but only cooked them 4 minutes in the instant pot, instead of 6, and they came out perfectly. I have an IP-Duo so maybe that is why. Just thought I would share in case anyone else had that issue.
Hi Teeni – thanks for sharing. I often use the IP Duo, so that isn’t the difference. Perhaps it was the containers you used or difference in altitude or ingredients. Glad you found your perfect time and loved them!
I LOVE this recipe – I’m using in a cooking demo I’m about to do.
Can we double the recipe and use a souffle dish? Ever try that for crowds??
I tripled this recipe and made 18 of them yesterday to serve as dessert at a Pop Up dinner I was doing. The only change was to add some cardamom to the custard and I served them with whipped cream and chopped pistachios. Even with tripling the recipe, they were beautiful, thank you for a great recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing Carole. I’m a big cardamom fan, so I love that addition. Sounds like my kind of evening.
I made these for myself and hubby for our anniversary dinner. My first ever dessert in the PC. They tasted wonderful in spite of being a bit grainly, but they didn’t look so beautiful. The ramekins in the bottom layer had a 1/2 inch of water on top. Was I supposed to cover them? I just scooped them onto a shallow dish and smothered them in whipped cream and homemade blackberry compote. My hubby licked the plate!
Hi Karen – sounds like a delicious way to serve it. It’s hard to say for sure what happened. What type of chocolate did you use? Did you gradually add the hot liquid to the eggs and sugar? Was the chocolate finely chopped so it dissolve easily?
I used semisweet baker’s chocolate and it was completely melted. I added the hot milk/cream as slowly as I could. I am using a stovetop cooker, which I understand reaches a bit higher pressure, so I only let them cook at pressure for five minutes. I did a natural release for about 8 minutes till the indicator dropped, then a quick release just in case. Then I opened the lid.
I poured the excess water off immediately and let them cool. It only affected their appearance. They were delicious! I will definitely try the recipe again. Any ideas what I might do to achieve a creamier consistency next time?
Sounds like you did everything right. I’d try reducing the cook time even further, or covering with foil and using the same cook time since covering it with foil slows down the cooking process. 🙂
Thanks for the hints. I’ll try that next time.
I had a bit of a disaster, though the audience still seems to be enjoying them. My husband says they’re a bit wet, and they also went all over the place. I took a picture but I don’t think there’s any way to post one here. The only divergence I did from the recipe was to use half and half in place of the heavy cream + milk. Do you think that’s why they overflowed?
Hi Elvi – sorry you had troubles. You can post a picture on Instagram and tag me @barbarabakes I’d love to see it. You can’t really substitute half and half in this recipe. There just isn’t enough fat in half and half. Here’s a guide http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-halfandha-73203
My husband and I just finished our pots de cremé and they were absolutely delicious! There are 4 left and I’m already imagining eating the next one. They’re a rich dense flavor, but not heavy or filling. We covered them with whipped cream and Penzey’s Vietnamese cinnamon. This recipe is a keeper, perfect for company or a special occasion.
Thanks Sheri! Sounds like a great way to serve them.
I just got an instant pot lux 50. How do I set to high pressure? I read the manual 3 times but still can’t figure it out. Pls help!
Hi Judy – the LUX only has high pressure, so any button you choose will cook at high pressure. Have fun!
Came out great. Thx! Couldn’t find you on instagram to tag you on my page @PSerena50
Question. While I loved the result, how do make it softer, more moussey rather than hard chocolate? Thx
Try using a shorter cook time. What chocolate did you use?
I used 70% (bittersweet?)
Was it a baking chocolate, eating chocolate or chips?
Eating chocolate? It definitely did not say the words baking on it. It said Dark 70% Cocoa. Made in Germany, bars.
It was probably just too long a cook time in those ramekins then. I just thought if it was chocolate chips then might set up more solid. Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Barbara,
I am off sweets for the time being but that said I can hardly wait to try this recipe ! Chocolate is right up my alley. I even have the jars already. Not one of your recipes that I have tried has yet to be perfect so I have added this to my Pinterest for not only myself but anyone that checks my page.
Many thanks for all your recipes and I can’t wait to be one of the first to order you cook book when it’s on sale.
Sincerely,
Genene Abarham ( loving my Instant Pot)
I made these, and while they tasted delicious, they had a grainy texture, not smooth and creamy. What did I do wrong?
Hi Carol – what containers did you cook them in? If they were grainy, perhaps they were overcooked and needed less time in the containers you used.
I used small souffle pots, 3 on the bottom and 3 on the top. My pressure dropped at almost exactly 12 minutes after shutoff and I took them out immediately. I’ll try again with 5 minutes cook time and see what happens.
What do you think about adding coffee liqueur to this? Could I substitute it for the milk?
Hi Kim – I don’t have any experience using liqueurs. But I would assume you only want to use a tablespoon or so to enhance the chocolate flavor, so I’d use it in addition to the milk.
Barbara, fantastic! I’ve been needing this recipe. Chocolate pudding is my favorite, next to Creme Brulee, LOL. So what about a little vanilla in the chocolate??
I hope you love it Sherry. Are you wanting a vanilla version next, or do you want to add a little vanilla extract to the custard? You could definitely add a little vanilla maybe 1/2 teaspoon?
I can’t tell you how excited I am to see this recipe! I was looking for this very thing a few weeks ago to satisfy my deep, dark, smooth, and luscious chocolate cravings. Can hardly wait to try this! I’m so glad that you are so adventurous in the kitchen and willing to share your recipes. Definitely a kindred spirit!
Thanks Mary! What a sweet comment. I have to admit to reading it twice just because it made me smile. I hope you love it 🙂
Oh my! I am going to make these for my birthday! That’s in December, so maybe I’ll have to do a test run sooner than that!
Definitely, better do a test run at least once or twice 🙂
I haven’t tried layering racks yet, but does collected steam drip off the top rack onto the bottom desserts after depressurizing?
I haven’t had any problem with that.
A quick question – would you advise draping the jars with tin oil before you start the PC so as not to have water dropping into the pudding? I do this with lasagna. Looks like a great recipe, thanks for posting it.
Hi Elsie – you could if you wanted, but I didn’t find it was necessary. There weren’t even any drops that I had to soak up with a paper towel.
Oh, I was so excited I forgot to say something. For anyone who doesn’t know, Ball makes plastic reusable lids for both their regular mouth jars and their wide mouth jars. They would work perfectly to cover these in the refrigerator and they are very inexpensive on Amazon.
Thanks Ann – I’ll look forward to hearing how you like it. I didn’t know about the plastic reusable lids. Great tip!
Oh, wow. I have been dying for you to post a chocolate custard recipe. THANK YOU!!!
Oh my goodness those look decadent. I have some of those short and squatty canning jars here…I love them! I’d love them even more filled with this goodness. 🙂
Thanks Carol! Of course you have the fun jars. One day I’m going to have to check out that kitchen of your. Sounds like it’s loaded with all kinds of fun things.