Berry Chocolate Custard Cups
Now that I've been blogging for six years, I'm realizing there are some hidden gems tucked away in the recipe archives that might be getting lost in the shuffle. I keep returning to these recipes over the years, making some fun tweaks along the way. And I'm eager to share them with you again…because they're that good. These custard cups are one such recipe - an updated version of the Cherry Chocolate Clafoutis from 2016.
I consider this French-inspired dessert a simple, pantry-staple affair. It relies on eggs, sugar, coconut milk, arrowroot (or cornstarch), flour of any kind, frozen berries, and chocolate. I think baked custard is one of those genius creations. I love the original clafoutis baked in a pie dish, but I've been enjoying these custard cups lately because they cook more quickly and come in a convenient hand-held, personal snack size.
I hope you enjoy these custard cups as much as we do and that they provide you and yours a bright spot in the day during this difficult time.
Berry Chocolate Custard Cups
Serves 4
Notes: Recipe calls for frozen mixed berries. Do NOT defrost - you don't want that extra liquid in the custard. Fresh berries also work. And you could go with a single berry, too. I love an all raspberry version. And of course cherries are a classic. (Be sure they're pitted and you halve them for these cups - easy to pull apart with your fingers, even when frozen.)
4 large eggs
1/3 cup (68 gr.) sugar (I used muscovado, the unrefined cane sugar, or coconut sugar)
1/4 cup (22 gr) arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
2 Tbsp. (20 gr) flour (any flour works - I use brown rice flour)
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup (250 ml) full-fat coconut milk
250 gr (1/2 lb.) frozen mixed berries, do NOT defrost (or a single berry like raspberry or cherry)
40 grams dark chocolate (70%+), chopped into small chunks
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Place a 12-cup muffin tin on a large sheet pan. Preferably muffin tin is silicone and naturally non-stick. If not, place paper muffin liners inside each cup.
Make the custard mixture: Add eggs and sugar to a medium mixing bowl, preferably with a spout. Use a hand mixer to beat until the mixture is smooth and frothy. On low speed mix in arrowroot and flour, just until incorporated, then mix in salt, vanilla and almond extracts and coconut milk. Transfer mixture into a spouted bowl or measuring cup, if it's not in one already.
Assemble cups in muffin tins: Evenly distribute frozen berries, then chopped chocolate, in the bottom of the muffin cups. Be sure to pull cherries apart into two pieces (should be fairly easily even when frozen). Pour egg mixture into cups, filling almost to the top.
Transfer tray with muffin tin into oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until custard cups are golden brown, puffed and set. Middle should not be wobbly. Remove from oven, set muffin tin on wire rack and let cool completely before removing from tin. They firm up as they cool. If using a silicon mold, remove by running a butter knife all the way around the edge, then gently push up from underneath the mold. Enjoy!