Chocolate Pot de Crème (with a Secret Ingredient!)

Is this a safe space to admit we have a problem? Specifically an insatiable appetite for adding sweet potato to desserts? First we made brownies, then blondies, then truffles. And now? Pot de crème! Which is really just a thick, silky smooth pudding (YUM!).

This super chocolaty, 5-ingredient, French-inspired wonder dessert feels elegant and indulgent! No one will know it’s vegan, nutrient-rich, and so simple to make. Get your sweet potatoes ready…let’s make pot de crème!

Sweet potato, vanilla, chocolate chips, sea salt, and maple syrup

While pot de crème, translated literally, means “pot of cream,” there’s no dairy to be found in this recipe. But fear not! This healthier twist is thick and luscious just like the custard-style French dessert made with milk, cream, and eggs.

The secret? Sweet potato! Yep, that’s right — desserts with hidden, healthier-for-you ingredients are kind of our jam. And you’ve shown us you love them, too!

Cubed sweet potatoes in a steamer basket in a saucepan

For this one, simply peel, chop, and steam a sweet potato.

Stirring melted dark chocolate in a ceramic bowl

Then melt chocolate.

Melted dark chocolate and steamed sweet potato in a blender

Then combine the sweet potato and chocolate in a blender along with maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla, and blend, blend, blend!

Lastly, transfer the silky smooth mixture to glasses, bowls, jars, ramekins — whatever you please! — and let chill in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up.

Using a spoon to transfer chocolate sweet potato pot de creme into glasses

Once it’s chilled, you can choose to top with coconut whipped cream, berries, and shaved chocolate for extra decadence. And that’s it! Simple ingredients, simple methods, BIG results!

Glasses of chilled dairy-free pot de creme topped with coconut whipped cream and fresh raspberries

We can’t wait for you to try this pot de crème! It’s:

Creamy
Rich
Chocolaty
Silky smooth
Elegant
Easy to make
& SO delicious!

This would make the perfect dessert for Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) Day, entertaining, or those times when you just need chocolate (and sweet potatoes — hello, monthly cravings)!

Love Chocolate Desserts? Here Are a Few More:

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

A spoon with a close up shot of a bite of chocolate pot de creme topped with coconut whipped cream, shaved dark chocolate, and a raspberry

Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 4 (1/2 cup servings)

Course Dessert

Cuisine French-Inspired, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 4-5 Days

1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 medium sweet potato is ~2/3 lb and yields ~2 cups or 300 g cubed and 1 cup or 200 g mashed)
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, melted (ensure vegan/dairy-free as needed // we like Enjoy Life)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place the peeled, cubed sweet potato into a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and steam until very soft (it should be easy to poke with a fork), about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips by adding them to a small glass or metal bowl and carefully placing the bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula or spoon, until melted and no lumps remain, about 5 minutes. You can also melt them in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave in 20-second increments. Remove from heat.
Mash the sweet potato, measure out 1 cup (200 g) of it (adjust amount if altering the default number of servings), and add it to a high-speed blender with the maple syrup, sea salt, and vanilla extract. You can use any extra sweet potato as a snack or freeze for adding to smoothies or other desserts. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Next, slowly drizzle in the melted chocolate and blend on high for at least 1 minute, scraping down the sides a few times, until the mixture is completely smooth. It should look like silky melted chocolate.
Divide the mixture into 4 small ramekins or glasses (we like shallow, wide dessert glasses like these) and gently shake the jars/cups to even out the tops. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before enjoying!
Serve chilled on its own or topped with optional coconut whipped cream, shaved dark chocolate, and/or fresh berries.
Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month (or longer).

*If using a Vitamix with a wider base, the sweet potato won’t get creamy in step 3, but if you blend for a little longer in step 4 and scrape down the sides, it works well! Or, make a larger batch!
*Adapted from our Fudgy Dark Chocolate Sweet Potato Truffles.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.

Serving: 1 (half-cup serving) Calories: 282 Carbohydrates: 48.1 g Protein: 3.2 g Fat: 13.5 g Saturated Fat: 7.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 74 mg Potassium: 508 mg Fiber: 6.4 g Sugar: 29.7 g Vitamin A: 1478 IU Vitamin C: 1.5 mg Calcium: 68 mg Iron: 4.9 mg