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National Pots de Crème Day

Food · August 27

A food day for pots de crème, the small baked French custards served in little pots, often chocolate, and eaten with a spoon.

National Pots de Crème Day falls on Friday, August 27, 2027. That is 304 days away.

Pots de crème are small baked custards, usually served in the same little pots or ramekins they were cooked in. The name is French for "pots of cream," which is a fair description of what you get.

The base is simple: cream or milk, egg yolks and sugar, plus a flavoring. Chocolate is the best known version, but vanilla, coffee and caramel all show up on menus. The custard bakes gently in a water bath, which keeps the heat even and the texture smooth. The finished dessert is softer and silkier than a firm flan, closer to a thick spoonable cream.

The portions are small on purpose. A pot de crème is rich, and a few spoonfuls tend to be plenty. Many are served chilled, sometimes with a spoonful of whipped cream on top.

Making them at home takes patience more than skill. The custard is done when the edges are set and the center still wobbles a little, and it firms up as it cools. Pulling them out of the oven at that slightly uncertain moment is the hardest part of the whole recipe.

Traditional sets came with matching lidded pots, and some cooks still use them. A coffee cup or a small jar works just as well.

Ways to celebrate

• Bake a small batch of chocolate pots de crème in ramekins or coffee cups.
• Try a flavor you rarely see, like coffee or salted caramel.
• Look for pots de crème on the dessert menu at a local bistro.
• Share a batch with a neighbor, since one pot each is plenty.

Dates

All national days on August 27

Also on August 27

• National Just Because Day
• National Banana Lovers Day

Categories: Food days