Chocolate Truffle Creme Brulee

Chocolate Truffle Creme Brule. I know I do not need to say more, but this is my blog, so I sure as heck am going to. So read on friends.

Happy Happy Day O'Chocolate. Okay, I am sure there is a different day that has this claim to fame (because we literally have a "holiday" for everything here is the good 'ol US of A). But no one likes a selfish thing, especially when that selfish things is hogging all of the chocolate. So I am willing to share the chocolate with you... not the actual chocolate, you have to purchase that from the store. I would like to share my recipe for the most chocolaty chocolate creme brulee ever.

In case you need an excuse to eat said chocolate, Valentine's Day is coming up, and you know what that means. calories don't count. Wait, that's not it, is it? You are morally obligated to eat chocolate? Hm. You're more inclined to eat chocolate? Ah, you feel totally justified in eating chocolate.

Chocolaty treats are synonymous with Valentines Day.

Strawberries + Champagne + Chocolate + Adult Consensual Things = Valentines Day.

This indulgent dessert is the PERFECT one to make for your special someone. It is so delightfully rich that you won't be stuffing your face with obscene amounts of sweets that will make you want to pause before other "adult consensual things". If it isn't Valentines Day, and you just have an undying love for chocolate (who could blame you), this Chocolate Truffle Creme Brulee is also the missing piece of your soul. Trust me.

My husband just happens to loooooves chocolate. It is his love language. Well, his second love language. The first one is equally associated with Valentine's Day, but this isn't that kind of blog. This decadent chocolate treasure was so chocolaty that he actually struggled to finish it ! (gasp) Seriously, never in the history of my knowing him has he not had 5 pieces of chocolate cake, a whole bag of dark chocolate chips, extra chocolate everything. So tasty and so rich. You know leaving time and room for other "adult consensual things". (You guys, we are talking about sex in case you are confused.)

Let us get into all of this chocolate loving fun shall we? Because I KNOW you are putting up with all of my ridiculous rambling in order to get to the good stuff (aka the recipe).

Makes 4 1-cup ramekin servings (or 8 4 oz ramekins)

Ingredients:

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup white sugar, more for topping

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 cups heavy whipping cream

8 oz of dark/bittersweet/milk chocolate

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

You will also need a butane kitchen torch (If you do not have one, then you can broil the top of the creme brulee in the oven.)

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 300 degrees. You will also need to have a pot of simmering water waiting on the stove top.

2. Finely chop the baking chocolate of your choice (dark, semi sweet, milk) and add it to a separate medium sized mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Bring the heavy whipping cream to a lower boil on the stove top. Make sure you are not careful to not let it burn.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until smooth.

5. Gradually pour in the warmed heavy whipping cream into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk continually as you go so that the egg yolk to not begin to temper (cook). Continue to whisk as you add the heavy whipping cream to the eggs until everything is incorporated into one bowl.

6. Quickly pour the heavy whipping cream and egg blend into the chopped chocolate and whisk until you have a homogeneous mixture. If you need to return to heat to make sure that all chocolate is completely melted then please do so.

7. Pour the filling evenly into the ramekins.

8. Place the ramekins into a baking dish that will fit all of the ramekins AND allow you to pour in the simmering water up to the 3/4 way mark of your ramekins. (For me, this was using two different Pyrex dishes.)

9. Gently place the ramekins, in their water bath, into the oven.

10. Bake for 50 minutes or so if you are using the larger sized vessels. If you are opting for the traditional 4 oz ramekins, then you should bake for 30-35 minutes. You will know that the chocolate custard base for your creme brulee is ready when it is jiggly in the middle but also appears for firm.

11. Once the custard has set, carefully remove it from the water and place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours or so until it sets.

12. Once it is properly chilled, sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.

13. If you have a butane creme brulee torch, use it to caramelize the sugar on the top of the custard until it is golden brown. It should be hard to the touch so that when you go to crack it with a spoon the sugar breaks and the custard is perfectly smooth.

Enjoy the living heck of this!