Welcome to this week’s edition of the Kos Diabetes Group! As most of you know, it’s almost always food-based when it’s my turn! If you don’t know why I’m passionate about low-carb food, let me give an introduction…
In Jan 2016, after ignoring a rising “pre-diabetic” A1c (stupidly, thanks medical profession for not explaining just how dangerous it was) for four years, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes with an A1c of 7.6. For 6 months I followed recommendations from my primary care doctor/diabetes counselor and the American Diabetes Association. My blood sugar remained high, and I realized while 15-50g carbs per meal was FAR less than the standard American diet it was going to be the literal death of me because my pancreas couldn’t read the bajillion articles saying Complex Carbs were Just Fine.
With my doctor’s approval I embarked on a drastically limited carb intake aka a ketogenic diet and almost eight years later I’m still eating this way. I understand this is not for everyone because all of our diabetic metabolisms, care strategies and outcomes are different, but this is MY way of handling my health. My metformin dose has upped from 500-1500mg daily over the years but that’s to be expected with a progressive metabolic condition. My last A1c was 5.8 and as a nice bonus my cholesterol and lipid panels are well within normal levels.
There was no way I was going to share a recipe THIS close to Valentine’s Day that wasn’t chocolate. Two years ago, I shared a Chocolate and Raspberry flavored treat, but this year I wanted the solo standout flavor to be deep, rich chocolate. Because so often we diabetics do NOT get that!
One of the special family dishes Mr. Brillig shared with me when we became family was their Chocolate Pots de Creme. It was at least several generations old, filled with all the things I adored but can no longer eat. Unlike chocolate pudding, which is a stovetop production relying on some sort of thickener (cornstarch in the regular world, xanthan gum or glucomannan on the keto world), Pots de Creme is a custard… it thickens from the egg yolks as you bake it in a water bath. Sounds complicated, but truly isn’t. This recipe from my favorite keto author over at All Day I Dream About Food makes four 4oz-sized ramekins of decadent, rich chocolate goodness. Best of all, the ingredients are likely staples in any diabetic kitchen. As always, I stress going to the original creator’s website and reading her Keto Pot de Creme recipe in full. It has all the tips and tricks that I used to make mine come out exceeding all my expectations. Let’s dive in…
INGREDIENTS:
0.5 cup heavy cream
0.5 cup unsweetened almond or other ‘milk’
1/3 cup powdered erythritol sweetener
1.75 oz UNSWEETENED chocolate, chopped (I make shavings with a large sharp knife, as shown)
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks (save the whites to make meringue or another recipe!)
pinch salt
method:
1. Preheat oven to 300F, and separately have boiling water ready.
2. In a medium saucepan over mid-heat, whisk the cream, milk and sweetener. Heat until it just begins to simmer (little bubbles at the edges), whisking frequently so it doesn’t burn.
3. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit several minutes to melt, then add vanilla and whisk until smooth
4. In a medium bowl (that you can easily pour from!) whisk together the egg yolks and salt. Then slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
5. Pour the custard into the four ramekins and set into a pan. I used a 9oz square baking pan. Pour boiling water into the pan until it’s halfway up the ramekins. Cover the whole thing with foil and poke holes into it.
6. Bake 30-40 minutes until the edges are set but the center still jiggles. Remove from oven and take out of water immediately. Cool, then wrap each ramekin in plastic and refrigerate several hours. Serve either plain or garnished with whipped cream (I took the easy way out and used the new Reddi-Whip zero-sugar kind in the can so no extra carbs added!
There are two things I would have done differently, even though my results taste absolutely fantastic and I may or may not have licked the ramekin. First, I would have trusted my instinct that they were done at 35 minutes, and second, I wouldn’t have misread the recipe and let them sit in the water bath outside the oven for another ten minutes. I pulled as soon as I realized my error, but it made my final result thicker and a little less creamy than it should have been. But this was a ridiculously easy recipe for the result I got, and it’s portion controlled so I couldn’t overindulge and eat the whole thing immediately!!! Perfect for sharing with someone :)
The Nutritional Analysis (this is the base recipe, minus the whipped cream garnish):
218 calories; 3.9g protein; 19.1g fat; 4.9g total carbs; 2.2g fiber
What are you making that’s sweet and delicious these days? Let’s hear about it in the comments!