Decadent chocolate recipes for every occasion

Chocolate pot de creme

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cups 35% cream
1 cup milk
2 cinnamon sticks, cracked
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 egg yolks
1⁄3 cup brown sugar
1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream and chocolate curls

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a shallow baking dish with a cloth or tea towel and place six 5-oz ramekins inside the pan. Set aside. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat cream, milk and cinnamon just until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat, cover and rest for 20 minutes.

While milk is infusing, place chocolate in a bowl, set aside. Place egg yolks in a separate bowl with sugar and vanilla and mix well. Set aside. When cream is ready, remove cinnamon pieces, reheat cream as before and pour over chocolate, stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture a little bit at a time, stirring constantly so eggs don't curdle. Mix well, and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a four-cup measuring

Bring a kettle filled with water to a boil. Divide chocolate custard mixture equally between reserved ramekins. Fill baking dish with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until sides are set but centres still jiggle slightly. Remove ramekins from pan and cool. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Serve dessert garnished with softly whipped cream and chocolate curls. Makes 6 servings.

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