Chocolate Crème Brulée

Instructions

Start the day before you want to eat them.

1. Put the broken chocolate, 5 floz / 150ml of the Soya Dream and the melted spread into a bain marie and heat gently until the chocolate is melted. Keep the heat low, this should take 5-6 minutes. Keep stirring once the chocolate has started to melt and watch the mixture like a hawk: the Soya Dream has starch in it and this can start to cook, making the chocolate turn dry and lumpy. If it starts to go I’ve rescued it with a little hot water. In the end you should have something which is smooth and glossy. Take it off the heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, caster sugar and cornflour for about 2 minutes until they are thick and creamy.
3. Heat the rest of the Soya Dream gently. If you aren’t careful it can split, so be gentle! When it just reaches simmering point, take it off the heat and pour it into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. You shouldn’t have lumps doing it this way, but if you do you can sieve it at this point. You now have a custard mix.
4. Rinse the pan you used to heat the cream and pour the custard mix into it. Heat it gently for about 2-3 minutes until it thickens. If the heat is very low it can take longer, but it is important not to rush this stage or you will end up with lumps.
5. Remove the pan from the heat.
6. Whisk up the chocolate mixture to return it to smooth glossiness. Add a little of the custard mix to it and whisk it in. Add a little more, still whisking until the mixture is runny enough to pour into the remaining custard, whisking constantly.
7. Divide the chocolate custard between 6 ramekins (each about 2″ / 5cm deep by 3″ / 7.5cm diameter at the top and 2½” / 6cm at the bottom). Leave a little space at the top for the caramel, cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge overnight.
8. A couple of hours before serving, make the caramel by putting the granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and placing it on a medium heat. Watch it for about 4-5 minutes until a rim of melted sugar appears around the edge of the sugar. At this point shake the pan, then leave the sugar again until it is about a quarter to a third melted. Stir gently and keep stirring until the sugar is all melted and the colour of darkish liquid honey.
9. Take the chocolate custards out of the fridge, remove the clingfilm and pour over a thin layer of caramel. Tilt them around to get the covering even. Cover with foil (NOT clingfilm or they will go soft!), and re-refrigerate until ready to serve.