The preparation of food is, often, therapeutic – and the preparation of these makes very good sense in the current economic climate. There’s little waste and much less electricity usage.  When my daughter was pregnant with her first baby, I often made individual ‘little’ desserts so that she could enjoy them at her leisure. Baked fruit crumbles, custards and tiny bread puddings were perfect for winter and took care of any left-overs –  allowing me to help sweeten a trying pregnancy. I discovered the recipe below, the other day – it was often made for both guests and children – but omitting the salt for the latter! 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 65 g white caster sugar
• 480 ml thin pouring cream (you could also use half milk, half cream)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 vanilla bean, split open and seeds scraped out
• 50 g dark chocolate, 70 % cocoa solids
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon fleur du sel for sprinkling (optional)

Method

• Preheat your oven at 160 C.
• In a pot, pour the cream (or cream and milk) and add the orange zest, the vanilla bean and the vanilla seeds.
• Bring to the boil, remove from the stove and set aside, allowing it to infuse for 30 minutes.
• Filter.
• In the meantime, melt the chocolate in a double-boiler and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs and egg yolk with the sugar until light and then add the hot cream very slowly whilst whisking.
• Add the melted chocolate and cocoa to the hot cream.
• Pour this into small ramekins, making sure that you remove any foam that may have formed on top.
• Place them in a dish filled with hot water so that they are half immersed in water.
• Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes.
• Check regularly after 30 minutes.
• The middle of the creams should still be moving a little as they will settle once they cool down.
• Take the ramekins out and let them cool down.
• Cover with clingwrap and put them in the fridge to rest for a few hours before eating.
• Sprinkle a little fleur du sel over the top of each one for a delicious variation to the theme.