This chocolate custard is dark, rich, and intense. Its texture is wonderfully smooth and silky. It's surprisingly easy to make, and it's definitely one of my favorite chocolate desserts!

Do you love chocolate? I think most of us do. There's something about it that's more than its sweetness. People really do crave chocolate.

But this custard is a favourite among a lot of people. It's very grown-up - rich, decadent, and intensely chocolatey.

THE INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty dessert. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Milk: You should definitely use whole milk in this recipe.

Dark chocolate Chips: The darker you can go and still enjoy it, the better.

Sweetener: Sucralose or any granulated sweetener instead.

Egg yolks: See the suggestions below on what to do with the leftover egg whites.

Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

1. Bring the milk to a simmer, then add the chocolate and sweetener.

2. Whisk the mixture until very smooth. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool.

3. Whisk the egg yolks and vanilla.

4. Very slowly, whisking constantly, add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture.

5. Pour the mixture into a measuring glass, then pour it into four ramekins that you've placed in a baking dish.

6. Pour hot water into the pan to create a water bath for the custard.

7. Bake until set, 25-30 minutes at 300°F.

THE TECHNIQUE OF TEMPERING EGGS

The step of very slowly whisking the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs is called tempering. The idea is to try and prevent the eggs from cooking in the warm liquid and turning into scrambled eggs.

Technically, you would first whisk some of the chocolate into the eggs, then whisk that mixture back into the chocolate mixture. I do it a little differently, as you can see in the instructions and in the video below. But the idea is the same.

Still, it's not a bad idea to strain the mixture before pouring it into ramekins, because tiny bits of cooked egg might be in there. If your mixture isn't too thick to strain, I highly recommend you do it.

WATER BATH FOR EVEN COOKING

When you pour hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins, you create a water bath. This hot water bath insulates the chocolate custard from the direct heat of the oven and promotes even cooking, so the edges won’t overcook before the center is done.

many people use the same technique when baking a cheesecake, which is, in fact, a type of custard too.

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. But this custard is best when served fresh.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE EXTRA EGG WHITES?

There are a few great recipes that will help you use up those extra egg whites! Egg white muffins, egg white frittata, and egg white omelet. They are all very tasty and very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS