Chocolate-Orange Pots De Crème

Very decadent dessert. Your guests will think they are in a 4-star restaurant in Paris. Use high quality chocolate and vanilla beans for the best result. Do not overbake the custards, they should remain soft with a thin surface skin. Garnish with candied orange peel. Bon Appetit, December 1998.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  cups  whipping cream
• 8  ounces bittersweet chocolate or 8  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4  tablespoons Grand Marnier or 4  tablespoons  orange liqueur
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk
• 2  tablespoons  freshly grated orange zest
• 2  vanilla beans, split lengthwise
• 8  large  egg yolks
• 7  tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate; whisk until smooth. Whisk in 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier.
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture into each of eight 3/4-cup custard cups. Place cups in freezer.
4. Reserve remaining chocolate mixture. (Used to top custard after baking).
5. Combine milk, orange zest and 2 cups cream in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla beans; add beans. Bring to simmer.
6. Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to blend. Whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Let stand 30 minutes.
7. Strain through fine sieve set over medium bowl, pressing on solids. Whisk 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier into custard.
8. Preheat oven to 325°F
9. Ladle custard over chocolate in cups. Place cups in large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of cups.
10. Bake until custards are set, about 50 minutes. Remove cups from water.
11. Stir chocolate mixture over low heat until just pourable if necessary. Spoon generous 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture over each. Chill overnight. Serve cold.