One of the more admittedly alien things about me is that I do not care about chocolate. I was raised on Christmas stockings full of Sour Patch Kids and Lemon Heads, 'pig-out parties' with my Grandma devouring Twizzlers and Starburst, and meandering trips down the bulk candy aisle before long car rides. It always worked to my brothers' and my advantage because we regularly raided our friends' candy drawers, Halloween bags, and Easter baskets for all the non-chocolate "leftovers." My comfort dessert has always been apple pie or bread pudding. My favorite cookies are pumpkin and I'm choosing vanilla over chocolate ice cream all day long. I used to really dislike chocolate, in fact, but in adulthood it's been more indifference than hatred.

However, there are a few specific exceptions to this rule, and those are fudge brownies, my grandma's chocolate cake, and chocolate pot de creme with fresh whipped cream. These are the only ways to serve me chocolate without wishing you'd just handed me a bag of Swedish Fish instead. I don't quite know why I don't share the same aversion for chocolate in these particular forms, but I'm not going to question it.

Smooth pot de creme in its tiny little vessels, covered in whipped cream, is such a perfect dessert. It's 'curl up on the couch' dessert, 'movie after dinner' dessert, only to be eaten in the most relaxed of settings to counter its fancy name. It's the kind of dessert you share with the people you love and don't think about cleaning the spoon-scraped cups until morning because you're all too busy being cozed.

It's also ridiculously simple to make (it's no-bake!). And I've made several delicious versions, but this Pioneer Woman one is just a really easy and delicious recipe to have up your sleeve (or all over your sleeve. because it involves chocolate and hot coffee in a blender.)

Chocolate pots de creme

Mostly unchanged from Pioneer Woman
Yields 6-10 servings, depending on cup size
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or finely chopped up chocolate bar
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
8 oz strong, hot coffee (you will reheat again just before using it)
Heavy cream, vanilla, and white sugar for whipped cream

Place chocolate in blender (or a food processor if you don't have a blender). Then add eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. At this point you'll want to make sure your coffee is extremely hot (I like to put mine in the microwave, or you could reheat to almost boiling on the stove). Start blending the chocolate and egg mixture, and then slowly pour in coffee (mixture will rise quickly when the hot liquid is added, so be careful). Blend for a minute or until the chocolate mixture is smooth and all the bits of chocolate appear to be melted.

Now divide the chocolate mixture into little serving cups.

Place in the refrigerator for at least a few hours while the chocolate sets, and make whipped cream in the meantime by beating heavy cream with sugar (to taste) and vanilla on high until light and fluffy.

Serve pots de creme with a (large) dollop of freshly whipped cream.