Diana Henry's spring menu: Crostini with white bean purée and anchovy and black olive relish; Baked sausages with prunes and walnut gremolata; braised Puy lentils and fried potatoes with savoy cabbage, garlic and juniper.
Ingredients
- 125g raisins
- 6 tbsp sweet sherry, such as Pedro Ximénez (from some supermarkets, good off-licences and wine shops)
- 275g good-quality, bitter plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken up
- 100g unsalted butter
- 75g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 medium egg yolks
- 200ml double cream, plus extra cream to serve
Method
- 1. Put the raisins in a small pan with the sherry, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, then remove from the heat. Set aside to let the raisins cool and plump up.
- 2. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water – make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool.
- 3. Put the butter and half the icing sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, cream for a few minutes until pale and fluffy, then mix in the cocoa powder. In another bowl, beat together the egg yolks and remaining sugar for 2-3 minutes, until pale and thickened.
- 4. Mix the cooled chocolate into the creamed butter, then stir in the raisins with their liquid and the yolks. Fold in the cream until just combined – don’t overmix or it will become too thick. Spoon into 8 x 150ml pots or glasses, filling each three-quarters full. Cover and chill overnight.
- 5. On the day, remove the chocolate pots from the fridge 1 hour before serving to take the chill off. Serve each with a dollop of whipped cream.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 541kcals, 38.4g fat (23.2g saturated), 4.4g protein, 44.3g carbs, 41.9g sugar, 0.2g salt
Chef's tip
This recipe contains raw egg. These chocolate pots need to be chilled overnight, then removed from the fridge 1 hour before serving.
Wine Recommendation
Head back to sherry – this time a dessert one – and enjoy the rich raisin flavours of the drink with these luxury chocolate pots. The best style to go for is oloroso, or serve more Pedro Ximénez sherry.