Coffee Custards

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• whipped cream

Recipe

• 1 in a small skillet, cook ¼ cup of the sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until it is melted and golden caramel in colour.
• 2 add ¼ cup water carefully (pour it into the side of the skillet) and simmer the mixture, stirring, until the caramel is dissolved.
• 3 remove from heat and stir in chocolate until it is melted.
• 4 preheat oven to 300 degrees f.
• 5 scald the milk.
• 6 in a bowl, whisk the yolks and the whole egg with the remaining ¼ cup sugar and add the chocolate mixture, whisking.
• 7 whisk in the scalded milk in a stream.
• 8 add the espresso powder, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
• 9 strain the custard through a fine sieve into another bowl, skim the froth, and divide the custard among six ramekins.
• 10 put ramekins in a baking pan and add enough hot water to reach one-third up the sides of the ramekins.
• 11 cover pan tightly with foil.
• 12 bake custards in the middle of the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until they are just set.
• 13 let them cool completely, uncovered.
• 14 chill, covered, for 3 hours before serving (may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled).
• 15 garnish each custard with a rosette of whipped cream.