Chocolate Creme Brulee

I pause from my own recipes to give tribute to this luscious one by Delia Smith. The process is a bit fiddly as it involves several stages, but I have attempted to simplify it at least visually. I'm confident a true chocoholic won't be deterred ;)

I have also changed the brulee method. Delia caramelizes the sugar and pours it onto the cooled pudding (takes 15 minutes). But I suggest the two-minute method of adding sugar to the pud and grilling it, which involves less washing up and results in a tastier topping which won't require you to find an axe before you can enjoy the chocco creaminess beneath...

570 ml whipping cream
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar
150g dark chocolate
1 tsp cornflour
175g sugar, keep aside for caramel

Stage 1

1. Melt chocolate in 10-second intervals on high in microwave with 150ml of the cream.
   
2. Stir still shiny

Stage 2

1. In separate bowl, whisk yolks, sugar and cornflour till fluffy and thickened

Stage 3

1. In a pan, heat the rest of the cream till just starting to simmer
2. Add a little cream to the yolk mixture's bowl from stage 2, whisk well
3. Add the rest and mix till combined
4. Return this mixture to the pan, cook about 3-4 minutes till it thickens

Stage 4

1. Whisk the chocolate mixture in its bowl till shiny
2. Add a little of the custard mixture from Stage 3, then add it all. Combine well.

Stage 5

1. Pour the chocolatey soup, through a sieve, into ramekins, leaving 1 cm at the top for the brulee (burnt sugar or caramel) later on. Refrigerate overnight.

Stage 6 (not Delia's)

1. The next day, pour about 1-2 tbsp sugar onto each pot of chocolate cream, shaking off any excess
2. Place ramekins on a baking tray and directly under the grill, watching carefully till it bubbles and turns a light caramel brown, barely 2 mins
   
3. Remove from oven when done and serve immediately, or allow to cool, cover loosely with foil and return to fridge till needed.