For all you chocoholics out there…

One of my favorites from my family cookbook. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pots de Creme

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I like Scharfen Berger or Valrhona)
2 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the chopped chocolate in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl and set a sieve on top. Pour the cream into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. If using orange zest, stir it into the cream before heating and steep 5 minutes covered, off the heat.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl, adding the sugar gradually. Continue whisking for a minute or until the yolks are pale yellow and thick and form a ribbon when dropped from the whisk.

By driblets, pour the hot cream into the egg yolks, stirring (not beating) with the whisk, until evenly blended. Immediately pour this custard through the sieve over the chocolate pieces, removing any coagulated bits of egg, and stir gently with a large spoon to melt the chocolate and blend it into the custard. Stir in the vanilla extract. Skim off any surface bubbles.

Fill individual ramekins with chocolate mixture and bake for 25 minutes in a water bath as for other custard recipes. Chill thoroughly, at least 4 hours, before serving. The custard will be quite soft when it comes out of the oven, but will set up as it chills.