Recipe: Chocolate Orange Pot de Crème with Rosemary Chantilly

Hi there, I’m a brand new columnist here on decor8 and my name is Gintare Marcel. I'm a cookbook author (4 of them so far) and an avid traveller. I’m originally from Lithuania, but now I divide my time between the mountain covered Swiss countryside and sunny Provence with my French husband, with a few other stops here and there. I’m very excited to join Holly and the whole team at decor8. Each month I’ll be sharing a delicious recipe and sometimes a glimpse of food from my travels. I hope to inspire you to roll up your sleeves to cook, enjoy food, and perhaps dream a little. To begin, I have something very indulgent and all about chocolate since February 14th is just around the corner. Chocolate seemed like an appropriate topic for Valentine's Day to linger upon and it is my firm belief that chocolate is indeed a quintessential ingredient to a happy life. What do you think? There can never be too much of it. So, how about a smooth and decadent cup of chocolate for you today?

Pot de crème is a French classic that has as many variations as stars in the sky but for a good reason. It is a quick and easy dessert that results in wonderfully indulgent chocolate cups with delicate orange notes and a touch of liqueur, if you like that sort of thing (wink).

However, the unsung hero of this desert is the rosemary. Yes, really. I love to add a bit of a savory kick to my desserts and rosemary goes so well with chocolate. It makes an easy dessert a little more special. The rosemary cream is simple to make and you can use the same method to infuse any regular cream with lavender, thyme or any flavor of your choice for experiment.

Chocolate Orange Pot de Crème 130g dark chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped 4 egg yolks 1 tbsp sugar 1 orange zest, finely grated 1 cup/250 ml milk ½ cup/120 ml cream 1 tbsp Grand Marnier

Rosemary Chantilly ½ cup/120 ml cream a few rosemary sprigs 1-2 tsp sugar

How To: Place the chopped chocolate in a blender, set aside. Heat milk and cream until just simmering. Beat egg yolks with sugar and zest and pour in the milk stirring vigorously. Stir in Grand Marnier. Return to the stove and continue stirring on medium heat until it starts coating the back of a wooden spoon (it will take a minute or two). Pour everything on top of chocolate and blend till smooth. Divide between 4 cups or glasses and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Take out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

To make rosemary whipped cream, bring cream with rosemary sprigs to simmer and let it steep for at least 10 minutes. Then, strain and chill until needed. Whip cream with sugar and top each pot de crème with a spoonful.

Enjoy, Happy Valentine's Day, and I'll see you in March with another delicious recipe from my kitchen to yours! - Gintare.

(Photography, Styling and Words: Gintare Marcel. Editor: Holly Becker)