WHITE CHOCOLATE-MINT POTS DE CRèME WITH CANDY CANE BRITTLE

White Chocolate-Mint Pots de Crème with Candy Cane Brittle image

Provided by Mindy Segal

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Pots de crème:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups fresh mint leaves
6 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
Pinch of kosher salt
White chocolate ganache:
4 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
Candy cane brittle:
1 pound high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup chopped candy canes, divided
1/2 cup chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers), lightly crushed
1 ounce high-quality white chocolate, melted
Special Equipment
Eight 4-ounce ramekins

Steps:

For pots de crème:
Bring cream and milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add mint; steep for 1 hour. Strain; return to pan.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk yolks and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Bring mint cream to a boil; add chocolate. Remove from heat; whisk until melted. Return to a boil. Gradually whisk into yolk mixture. Strain into a medium pitcher. Add salt.
Place ramekins in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Divide mint custard among ramekins. Pour hot water into dish to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper.
Bake custards until just set in center, about 40 minutes. Let cool in water bath. Cover; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
For white chocolate ganache:
Stir chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Whisk in cream, vanilla, and salt. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours.
For candy cane brittle:
Line a large baking sheet with foil. Stir bittersweet chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted. Stir in 3/4 cup chopped candy and crushed cookies; spread over foil. Sprinkle 1/4 cup candy over. Drizzle with melted white chocolate. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Break into shards.
Using an electric mixer, beat white chocolate ganache until firm peaks form. Spoon a dollop of ganache over each pot de crème; garnish with a piece of brittle.