Recipe: Valentine’s Day Mayan Cocoa Pots

By Director of Culinary Enrichment & Executive Chef Kathryn Kelly

What’s not to love about these lusciously rich chocolate pots? Chocolatey and fragrant, this simple dessert is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat for your sweetheart.

Our recipe calls for Mexican chocolate, which is rich, distinct and often made with spices such as cinnamon. Our Culinary Center chefs prefer the organic brand Taza, which makes stone-ground discs of up to 85% pure cacao.

Serves 4

2 cups heavy cream 4 ounces bittersweet Mexican chocolate, finely chopped 6 egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar Pinch each of cinnamon and cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 250°F/121°C. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream to nearly a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Reserve.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon and cayenne and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly temper the egg mixture into the chocolate, stirring constantly.

Divide the mixture into 4 (4-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking pan. Add enough boiling water to the pan to reach half the height of the ramekins. Bake until set, about 1 hour. Remove the ramekins from the water and let cool. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Enjoy slightly chilled