Baked Chocolate and Coffee Custards
Baked Chocolate and Coffee Custards
 Prep Time ~ 25 mins | Cooking Time ~ 25 mins |
 Approx Cost ~ £4.50 |  Difficulty ~ Easy |
 Freeze ~ No |  Serves ~ 6 |
Ingredients
Custards:
284ml carton semi skimmed milk
142ml carton double cream
200g / 7oz plain chocolate, broken into small pieces
4 large egg yolks
1 level tbsp golden caster sugar
3 tbsp very strong cold black coffee
Topping:
125g / 4oz mascarpone
1 level tsp icing sugar
Grated zest and juice of ½ orange
To decorate: grated orange zest, optional
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170C, (150C fan oven), Gas Mark 3.
- Put the milk, cream and chocolate in a heavy based pan over a very gentle heat until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Mix the egg yolks, sugar and coffee together in a bowl, then pour on the warm chocolate milk. Briefly mix together, then strain through a sieve into a jug. Pour the mixture into six 150ml / ¼ pint ramekins.
- Stand the dishes in a large roasting tin containing enough hot water to come half way up their sides.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until just set and still a little wobbly in the middle - they will firm up as they cool.
- Remove from the tin and chill for 1 hour minimum.
- To make the topping, beat the mascarpone, icing sugar, orange zest and juice together until smooth. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
- To serve, put a spoonful of the mascarpone mixture on top of each custard and decorate with orange zest if you like. Serve with thin shortbread biscuits.
To prepare ahead: Bake the custards and allow to cool. Make the topping and cover the bowl. Cover the ramekins with clingfilm and refrigerate with the topping for up to 24 hours. Serve as above.