Chocolate cream

Chocolate: friend or foe?

At the time of the First Empire, chocolate ventured out of the apothecary's. Up to that time it had been thought of as primarily a medication: chocolate was sold as a purgative, cough mixture, and also an aphrodisiac.

From this time on, chocolate, still in liquid form, turned up at the morning meal for those not partial to coffee. It returned in the evening, after dinner, as a drink to aid digestion. Some people continued to have their doubts about whether it was responsible for causing palpitations and fits of the vapours.
 
It was still in liquid form; chocolate bars would not make their appearance until the Second Empire, in 1861, thanks to Mr Poulain.

Ingredients

8 egg yolks
1l full-cream milk
100g caster sugar
100g baking chocolate

Period Recipe

Take a "pinte"* of milk, 6 egg yolks, a quarter pound of chocolat and the same of sugar. Mix all the ingredients except the chocolate; heat it and stir with a wooden spoon; bring to the boil and reduce by a quarter; then add the chocolate which you have previously grated. After having boiled this for a short time, leave to cool and serve. It is best to serve these creams in small pots specially made for the purpose. You can decorate the top with caramel smoothed on with a feather or cover it in "nompareilles"**.  * An old French measure equal (in Paris) to 0.93 litres. ** A nompareille was a small dragee.  La cuisinière de la campagne et de la ville..., Paris, 1825

Bon appetit

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan.
2. Melt chocolate in the milk over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks. Stir immediately.
4. Add the sugar.
5. Mix well.
6. Pour into little moulds and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then in the refrigerator.

Type of Recipe

sweet

Serves

4