Brian S. Hale, Executive Chef,Monarch restaurant
March/April 2007
Yield: 2 quarts
For custard:
- 16 ounces heavy cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 4 ounces sugar
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
- ½ ounce Grand Marnier
- 1 vanilla bean split length-wise
- 6 mint leaves
- 12 raspberries
For caramel:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Preparation:
Combine yolks and sugar in a stainless steel bowl and whisk until the mixture is creamy. Combine vanilla bean and cream in a pot and heat to a boil. Remove from heat, scrape vanilla bean seeds into cream; discard bean and reserve mixture. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and add to cream mixture along with the Grand Marnier. Slowly pour cream into egg mixture while constantly stirring.
For caramel:
Put sugar and water into a heavy-bottomed skillet and cook until the mixture is smooth and a deep amber color. Stir the mixture constantly to avoid burning the caramel. Spoon enough caramel into 6-ounce ramekins to cover the bottom of each. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Pour custard into ramekins and bake at 312 degrees in a water bath for about 2 hours or until custard jiggles like Jell-O. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
To serve: Run a paring knife around the inside of the ramekin and tap out. Serve with fresh mint and raspberries.
