chocolate pot de cremes

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup sugar
5 egg yolks
6 oz quality chocolate, chopped

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat cream and milk until scalded (small bubbles on the side of the pan). Add chocolate and continue to heat, stirring, until melted and combined.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, slowly whisk sugar into the yolks. Temper the egg yolk/sugar mixture by adding a small amount of the hot chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly add remaining chocolate mixture. Whisk in vanilla.

Arrange 6 small ramekins in a baking dish with deep sides. Divide mixture into ramekins. Fill baking dish with water to halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the whole dish with foil. Bake at 325-degrees until just set; 25-50 minutes, checking early as baking time will depend on the thickness and depth of your ramekins. Carefully remove baking dish from oven and let ramekins cool in the water bath. Remove ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Serve pot de crèmes as they are, in the ramekins. They can, but needn’t, be garnished with mint or berries. Whipped cream is just superfluous.