Elizabeth Hewson’s easy chocolate creams

These billowy creams look beautiful in little glasses, but don’t let your eyes get the better of you. These are rich – a little goes a long way.

Elizabeth Hewson’s Chocolate Creams. Picture: Nikki To

While I mostly prefer serving desserts in the centre of the table for guests to help themselves, it must be said that there is a certain elegance about individual servings.

These billowy creams look beautiful in little glasses, but don’t let your eyes get the better of you. These are rich – a little goes a long way and need to be made in the moment and served straight away. But considering how ­effortless they are to make, this shouldn’t be an issue. Berries make the perfect partner for this luscious dessert, especially big, fat ­strawberries that can be dipped and twirled in the chocolate cream.

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Chocolate mascarpone creams

Ingredients

• 120g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), roughly chopped
• 1 egg
• 250g mascarpone
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 60ml (¼ cup) full fat milk
• Salt flakes, to serve
• Fruit of your choice such as strawberries, berries, or cherries

Picture: Nikki To

Method

1. Fill a medium saucepan with roughly 4cm of water. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Suspend a heatproof bowl on top of the pan so that it fits snugly but doesn’t touch the water. (This is important, otherwise you’ll end up with grainy chocolate.) Reduce heat to allow the water to gently simmer. Add chocolate and slowly melt, giving it a stir to encourage it. Once melted, take off the heat and immediately whisk in egg. It will go very thick and shiny. Add mascarpone and vanilla and continue to whisk until combined. Add milk to loosen things up. You should have a lovely billowing cream. Serve in small glasses or bowls and sprinkle with salt flakes. Serve immediately with fruit or berries. Serves 4