Chocolate Crème Brûlée

After the demise of the ice cream maker, I had to find a use for the extra cream before it expired.  If there's anything I love as much as ice cream, it's this.  In fact, it may even be better than ice cream!

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

5 slightly beaten egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

fine sugar for topping

In a medium heavy saucepan, heat and stir 1/3 cup of the whipping cream and the chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted.  Remove from heat.  Using a whisk, gradually add the remaining cream.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, the 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla and salt. 

Gradually whisk the cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture. 

Transfer egg/cream mixture into a pourable container.  Place six 3/4-cup ramekins in a baking pan.  Set pan on the oven rack.  Pour the egg/cream mixture into the ramekins.  Pour enough boiling water into the baking pan around the ramekins to cover the bottom half of the dishes. 

Bake in a 325 F oven for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Transfer dishes from pan with water to a wire rack.  Allow to cool. 

To serve: top with about 1 Tablespoon of fine, granulated sugar and gently melt using a Chef's torch until sugar is a lovely golden-brown color.