Petit pots au chocolat, coffee cream mousse and vanilla doughnuts

  • 6
  • 3 hours 30 minutes plus time for chilling the chocolate pots and mousse
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These little chocolate pots from Graham Hornigold were inspired by an espresso martini. They have a layer of rich chocolate, topped with coffee mousse, whipped cream and grated chocolate. They are served with a side of vanilla choux doughnuts.

First published in 2023

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Petit pots au chocolat

  • 200g of whole milk
  • 50g of double cream
  • 12g of dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 12g of cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 55g of cane sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Coffee cream mousse

Choux vanilla doughnuts

  • 125g of water
  • 125g of whole milk
  • 5g of sugar
  • 5g of salt
  • 113g of butter
  • 275g of T55 flour
  • 250g of egg, pasteurised
  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying
  • vanilla sugar, or caster sugar, for garnish

Chocolate crumble

Garnish

  • double cream, softly whipped
  • chocolate, frozen

Equipment

  • Dessert glasses

Method

1

For the chocolate pots, bring the milk and cream to a simmer, and add the chocolate and cocoa to a large heatproof bowl

2

Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and whisk to combine

3

Whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla extract, then whisk into the chocolate mixture until smooth

  • 2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 55g of cane sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
4

Preheat the oven to 130°C

5

Divide the mixture between six heatproof glasses

6

Place a tea towel over the bottom of a deep roasting tray and place the glasses of chocolate on top. Fill the pan with boiling water until it comes halfway up the sides of the glasses

7

Cook for 45 minutes or until just set but with a slight wobble

8

Once set, transfer to the fridge to chill for 2–3 hours

9

Once the chocolate pots have set, begin the mousse. Bring the cream, milk and instant coffee to a simmer, whisking to dissolve the coffee

10

While the cream mixture heats up, whisk together the egg yolk and sugar

11

Once at 90°C, pour over the egg yolk and sugar mixture, whisking constantly

12

Add the gelatin to the mixture, and whisk until dissolved

  • 5 gelatine leaves, bloomed in cold water
13

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold into the coffee mixture alongside the softly whipped cream

14

Divide the mixture between the pots of chocolate. Chill in the fridge for 2–3 hours or until set

15

While the mousse sets, make the doughnuts. Bring the water, milk, sugar, salt and butter to the boil

  • 125g of water
  • 125g of whole milk
  • 5g of sugar
  • 5g of salt
  • 113g of butter
16

Whisk in the flour and stir until the mix forms a dough. Cook out the dough for about 3–5 minutes, or until the dough forms a thin layer on the bottom of the saucepan

  • 138g of T55 flour
17

Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly for about another 5–10 minutes

18

Place the mix into the bowl of the stand mixer and slowly beat in the egg until a smooth batter is reached

  • 250g of egg, pasteurised
19

Shape the choux into roughly 18 little balls for deep-frying and set aside on greaseproof paper or an oiled counter

20

Heat enough vegetable oil for deep-frying to 175°C

  • vegetable oil, for deep-frying
21

Fry the doughnuts until golden brown and crisp, then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen papers. You may need to cook the doughnuts in batches – let the oil heat up between batches

22

Sprinkle the doughnuts with vanilla sugar or just caster sugar

  • vanilla sugar, or caster sugar, for garnish
23

Preheat the oven to 180°C for the chocolate crumble

24

Beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture lightens up a shade, scraping down the beaters frequently

  • 150g of butter
  • 100g of cane sugar
25

Whisk all the dry ingredients together and then mix into the butter and sugar mixture

26

Roll out the dough into a thick sheet, and then transfer the dough to a sheet tray and bake for 20–30 minutes

27

Let cool and then crumble into large chunks

28

To serve, spoon some softly whipped cream over each portion, and then top with some chocolate crumble

  • double cream, softly whipped
29

Grate the frozen chocolate and then sprinkle each dessert with the grated chocolate. Serve with the doughnuts on the side

First published in 2023

Graham Hornigold’s expert pastry skills have been refined in some of the best restaurants and hotels in London, effortlessly adding delicate, refreshing touches to dessert menus. Today, he runs gourmet doughnut brand Longboys, which has three sites and stocks the likes of Harrods and Selfridges.

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