Elegant Chocolate Custards

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks, from grade a large eggs
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• whipped cream, and
• crystalized violets (*to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 degrees f. heat a tea kettle full of water.
• 2 in a small heavy saucepan, heat milk and chocolate over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture just comes to a boil.
• 3 stir in vanilla and remove pan from heat.
• 4 in a glass mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well blended.
• 5 add the chocolate milk mixture to the egg yolk mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly.
• 6 pour the custard mixture through a very fine sieve into a 2-cup measure or a small pitcher.
• 7 divide the custard among six 1/4-cup ramekins and cover each with foil. put the ramekins in a baking dish and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• 8 bake the custards on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes, or until just set. transfer ramekins to a rack and cool, covered.
• 9 chill the custards, covered, for at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• 10 serve custards garnished with whipped cream and candied violets*.
• 11 note: candied (crystallized) violets can be found in some supermarkets and at specialty food shops. if you can't find candied violets, use fresh mint sprigs or raspberries instead.