Ingredients

Step by step

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C, fan 100°C, gas ½. Put the milk, cream and orange zest in a small pan and bring to a very gentle simmer. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes to infuse.

2. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of gently simmering water until smooth.

3. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a large bowl and whisk until combined. Reheat the milk and cream mixture until steaming but not boiling.

4. Pour the milk and cream very slowly over the egg mixture (not too fast or the egg will curdle), stirring at all times with a wooden spoon, then, again slowly, pour this mix over the melted chocolate and mix well.

5. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the zest. Divide between 2 x 150ml ramekins that have been placed in a deep roasting tin. Make sure that there’s a gap of about 2cm from the top, which will be needed to finish the chocolate pots.

6. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin until the water is a third of the way up the outside of the ramekins.

7. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until they are set but have a gentle wobble. If not set, continue to cook until done.

8. Remove the pots from the oven and the roasting tin. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before chilling.

9. Whip up the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks. Cover and chill until needed.

10. To serve, spoon the caramel onto the chilled chocolate pots, then add a dollop of cream and a dusting of cocoa powder. Serve with the ginger shortbread if you like, or any good-quality shop-bought biscuit will do.