Feeling blue? Reach for chocolate

When women are blue they reach for chocolate, or so the story goes. But why wait until the moody blues strike to indulge darkly decadent chocolate cravings … let’s celebrate!

Nigella’s Chocolate Pots

FFF note: Let’s not mince words. These are good. They are so good that, in the spirit of culinary research, we have made and eaten them numerous times to see if they are as good as we think they are. Guess what? They’re better than good — they’re great. Think silken chocolate heaven. Get cooking…

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (best-quality - minimum 70 percent cocoa solids)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 egg
• 8 pots or custard cups (1/4 cup)

Crush the chocolate to smithereens in the food processor.

Heat the cream and milk until just about boiling, then add the vanilla and allspice and pour through the funnel over the chocolate. Let stand for 30 seconds. Process for 30 seconds, then crack the egg down the funnel and process for 45 seconds.

Pour into whatever little cups you’re serving in, and sit them in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight. But remember to take them out of the refrigerator a good 20 minutes before you want them to be eaten; the chill interferes with their luscious, silky richness.

Note: This makes 2 cups altogether: enough to fill 8 little pots of approximately 1/4 cup capacity. But if you’ve got only bigger cups, just augment quantities.

Recipe via nigella.com / Image via colette.fr