Chocolate and Passion Fruit Pots De Crème with Lychees and Candied Ginger

Ingredients

• Passion Fruit Caramel
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• Generous 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Generous 2 tablespoons unsweetened passion fruit juice
• Scant 2 tablespoons salted butter
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• Candied Ginger
• 3 1/2 ounces fresh ginger
• 1 1/4 cups water
• Scant 1/2 cup honey
• Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
• Chocolate Pots de Crème
• 4 1/2 ounces
• 65% bittersweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large egg yolks, beaten
• 12 lychees

Directions

1. For the passion fruit caramel, add the sugar and water to a small nonreactive saucepan with a heavy base. Warm it over medium heat, stirring only until the sugar has dissolved, then let it cook, tilting and swirling the pan so the color develops evenly, until the caramel turns golden brown. Take the pan off the heat, pour in the cream and passion fruit juice, minding the sputter, and whisk with purpose. Add the butter a little at a time, whisking until it is fully worked in. Let the caramel cool, then refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, peel the ginger, then cut it into neat 1⁄8-inch cubes. In a small saucepan with a heavy base, bring the water and honey up to a boil. Add the ginger and keep it over low heat, splashing in a little water if needed, until the ginger looks translucent and the syrup has cooked down to a glaze, about 11⁄2 hours. Stir through the lemon juice, then hold the ginger in the refrigerator.
3. For the chocolate pots de crème, heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Chop the chocolate finely and place it in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and sugar, then bring the mixture to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate, leave it alone for 30 seconds to soften, then stir with a heatproof spatula until smooth. Let it cool slightly, add the egg yolks, and stir again until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture among four 4-ounce ramekins. Set the ramekins in a baking dish, then pour in enough warm water to reach halfway up their sides. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 28 to 30 minutes. The custards are ready when they feel firm when touched but still wobble if you shake them gently. Lift them out of the water bath and let them cool. Do not refrigerate the pots de crème; set them aside at room temperature and serve them the same day.
5. For the finishing touches, peel the lychees and take out the seeds. Move the pots de crème onto serving plates, then spoon a tablespoon of caramel, a teaspoon of candied ginger, and some lychees over each one.