Simply, Pots de Creme refers to both the custard dessert as well as the small lidded pots in which the dessert is served.
The French are credited for the invention of the cups but the dessert, served in the cups may have evolved from English Syllabub. The term Pots de creme, or pot-au-creme translates from French to English as "pot of cream". You may also see the dessert referred to as “petit pots”. Technically the pots de creme is a lightly-set, baked custard. (The French do not have a word for "custard" the dish is simply referred to as "creme".) The dessert is not as thick as a crème brulee or flan so it is best suited for serving out of the little cups with lids which bear the same name.
Use the links on this page to learn more about the history of the little pots de creme cups as well as the history of the pots de creme dessert itself. Then browse our virtual museum to see hundreds of examples of pots de creme.
The pot de creme cup shown here was made in the 1970's by Fitz and Floyd for Georg Jensen. The cup is white with platinum trim. The pot de creme dessert is Chocolate Espresso Pots de Creme.
I started Gourmetsleuth.com back in July, 2001 I started writing articles about the history of pots de creme and publishing recipes for the desert. The following month, August 22, 2001 I decided pots de creme deserved its own home so I moved the recipes and articles to another website that I named potsdecreme.com. At that time I also created our first virtual pot de creme museum so people interested in these wonderful little lidded cups could see pictures of cups and learn a little bit about the history of the cup.
In 2014 we moved potsdecreme.com to our main Gourmetsleuth.com website because maintaining one web site is a lot of work and two sites was just too much. We have hundreds of pot de creme images and over 40 recipes, not to mention the most in-depth information about pots de creme on the internet.
Fabulous hand painted pot de creme by Rousseau. The painting includes a moth, snail, assorted bugs.
This a lovely flow blue Staffordshire pot de creme cup in the Nankin pattern by R. Stevenson. The set includes the cup with matching lid and a matching saucer. View Item
A set of 3 Meissen pot de creme cups decorated with delicate pink roses and rosebud finial and a bit of gold trim on cup lid rim and handle.
A beautiful pot de creme set with six pot de creme cups and matching tray. The color is soft aqua with gold trim on a white background. The set is by CH Pillivuyt, dating back to the...
A stunning set of Richard Ginori pot de creme cups with matching tray featuring elaborate hand painted gold trim. The blue floral pattern is reminiscent of the old flow-blue style. We rarely hav...
Pot De Creme Museum