1 egg

4 egg yolks

½ cup granulated sugar

3 cups heavy cream

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

¼ cup coffee liqueur

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

¼ cup granulated sugar (for topping)

1 vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped

Sugar cookies, for serving

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Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Arrange six 6–8 oz ramekins in a deep roasting pan.
In a saucepan, heat heavy cream with the scraped vanilla bean and pod until steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and steep 10 minutes, then discard pod.
Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour hot vanilla-infused cream over it and whisk until smooth and melted.
In another bowl, whisk egg and egg yolks with ½ cup sugar until slightly lightened. Gradually whisk in the warm chocolate-cream mixture to temper the eggs.
Stir in coffee liqueur and vanilla extract.
Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, then divide evenly among ramekins.
Pour hot water into the roasting pan until halfway up the ramekins’ sides to create a water bath.
Bake 35–45 minutes, until custards are set at the edges but slightly wobbly in the centres.
Remove ramekins, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Before serving, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over each custard. Caramelise using a kitchen torch or broiler until golden and crisp. Let stand 1 minute for the crust to harden.
Serve chilled with sugar cookies for dipping or alongside.

For a non-alcoholic version, omit the coffee liqueur and add extra vanilla or espresso for depth.

Custards can be made 2–3 days ahead; caramelise the sugar just before serving.

For a flavour twist, try orange liqueur, cinnamon, or nutmeg in the custard.

The custard is naturally gluten-free; pair with gluten-free cookies if desired.

Use a broiler if you don’t have a kitchen torch—watch closely to prevent burning.