Lately, I’m on this quick to make desserts in ramekins.  Not sure why I’m in this frame of mind, but so far, it’s worked out pretty well for my guy and my friends.  Today, the mood is towards chocolate, so I decided to make Chocolate Pots de Crème.  What’s nice about this recipe is that it serves two people, so it can be made anytime, even when company’s not around.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split (could use 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
  • 4 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 chocolate chips (milk or dark)
  • 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Warm the cream, milk, vanilla bean and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat until barely simmering, about 3 minutes.  Remove the vanilla bean, scrape its seeds then add them to the cream mixture. Discard the vanilla bean and stir the mixture well.
3. Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl.  Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until it’s melted.
4. Slowly whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate and cream.  Make sure the ingredients are completely incorporated.
5. Using a fine sieve, strain the mixture then pour into two 7-ounce ramekins.  Place the ramekins into a baking dish (I use a meatloaf pan) and pour hot water into the pan until it comes half way up the ramekins.  Be sure no hot water gets into the ramekins.
6. Bake in the oven until the mixture sets, about 35 minutes.
7. Transfer ramekins to a cookie sheet to cool for about 30 minutes.  Place a sheet of shrink wrap on the surface of each ramekin to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate, loosely covered with foil, until completely chilled, about an hour.
8. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar..

Makes 2 servings.