Chocolate Pot de Creme

Serves 10 people

Ingredients

For the Pot de Creme

4 cups cream
1 cup sugar
1 pound 75% dark chocolate, chopped
8 each egg yolks
1 teaspoon Orange liquor

For the Burnt Orange Chantilly Cream

2 cups cream
2 oranges
¼ cup sugar

For the Candied Orange Zest

2 oranges
2 cups sugar
juice of one lemon
extra sugar for coating

For the Cocoa Tuile Spoon

½ cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 egg whites
¾ cup cake flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
pinch salt

Special Equipment

Medium stainless steel sauce pan
Small stainless steel sauce pan
Baby offset spatula
Homemade spoon template made from plastic lid
Parchment paper
Electric mixer
Fine chinoise strainer
10 ramekins

Instructions

For the Burnt Orange Chantilly Cream

Thinly slice the oranges and bake at 450 degrees until they begin to char. Soak the burnt oranges in the 2 cups of cream and add the ¼ cup of sugar. Chill and allow to flavors to infuse while preparing the pot de crème. When ready to serve, strain the chilled cream and discard the burnt orange slices. Whip to medium peaks.

For the Cocoa Tuile Spoon

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites, and mix to incorporate. Add flour, salt and cocoa powder. Mix until smooth. Allow to chill for one hour.
Spread out onto a lightly buttered parchment lined baking pan using the spoon shaped template.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

While still warm, the tuiles can be molded and shaped into 3d forms. They will firm up quickly as they cool.

For the Pot de Creme

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat cream and sugar to a simmer in a stainless steel sauce pan. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Whisk to melt and dissolve all chocolate. Let rest at room temperature for a minute. Whisk in the eggs. Pour into 10 ramekins and bake in a water bath until set. (about 35 minutes). The outside should be completely set and the inside a little wobbley. Chill.

For the Candied Orange Zest

Slice in half and juice the two oranges. Enjoy a nice treat of fresh orange juice. Smile.

Scoop out the remaining orange flesh and membrane with a spoon, scraping away all the white pith. Slice into thin strips and blanch in boiling water for 20 seconds. Immediately shock in ice water. Repeat this process two more times.

Make a simple syrup by combining the 2 cups of sugar with 1 1/2 cups of water and the lemon juice. Simmer the blanched orange zest in the simple syrup in a stainless steel saucepan over low heat until they begin to look almost orange translucent. Strain and toss in granulated sugar.