Chocolate Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 21/2 tablespoons chocolate-flavored liqueur
  • 1 tablespoon plus 11/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 8 egg yolks

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 300º.
2.In a medium saucepan, combine cream, 3/4 cup sugar, chocolate, liqueur, cocoa, and vanilla. Cook, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form around the edges of pan. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3.In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until just combined. Gradually whisk one-fourth of hot cream mixture into beaten egg yolks; . Whisk egg mixture into remaining hot cream mixture, stirring constantly. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Pour evenly into 6 to 8 flameproof ramekins. Place ramekins in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Fill baking dish with 11/2 inches hot water. Bake 30 to 45 minutes, or until the custard has set and is firm. Let cool on wire racks; wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and chill at least 8 hours.
4.Sprinkle each custard evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
5.Broil 51/2 inches from heat for 7 minutes, or until sugar melts. Let custard stand 5 minutes to allow sugar to harden. Sugar may also be browned with a professional culinary torch.
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