Francoise's Cream of Chocolate

"...And when all these had been eaten, a work composed expressly for ourselves, but dedicated more particularly to my father.... a cream of chocolate, inspired in the mind, created by the hand of Francoise, would be laid before us, light and fleeting as an 'occasional piece' of music, into which she had poured the whole of her talent" (Marcel Proust - Swann's Way)

On the dessert menu for the past few nights we have brought to life the spirit of the servant Francoise from the Marcel Proust novel Swann's Way and recreated Francoise's Cream of Chocolate. Guilty of having not yet started on Proust, this is what I consider the ideal introduction. This cream of chocolate is silky and exquisite.


Francoise's Cream of Chocolate
serves 6
100g plain cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
100g caster sugar
500ml milk
6 egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 130C. Bring the milk to the boil on the stove, add the chocolate pieces and let melt gently, stirring with a wooden spoon. In another bowl, whip the sugar with the egg yolks.
When the chocolate has completely melted, pour into the bowl with the eggs and sugar and mix quickly and vigorously. Pass through a strainer.
Pour the liquid into 6 small ramekin dishes (or coffee cups) and place in a bain-marie in the oven for about an hour (or until set). Leave to cool before serving.