Dark Chocolate Cream

Note: Dark Chocolate Cream has to be made at least 24 hours in advance of serving. It may even be made a couple of days in advance and is therefore a convenient dessert when planning a dinner party or lunch.

1. Put the chopped dark chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.

2. Pour 400ml of heavy cream into a pot, add the pieces of butter, and bring the mixture to a boil.

3. Pour a third of the hot cream and melted butter over the chocolate, stirring with a whisk as you do it. As the chocolate melts, pour in another third of the hot cream, stir, and then add the last of the hot cream, stirring all the while until the mixture is very smooth.

4. Pour the chocolate cream into glasses and put them in the refrigerator. Later, when the glasses of cream have cooled, they may be covered with plastic wrap. It must be refrigerated for at least 24 hours. At the end of that time, the chocolate will have become a soft solid, like the inside of a Swiss chocolate.

5. Just before serving, whip the remaining 200ml of heavy cream until it looks soft and billowy. Then stir in powdered sugar to make a slightly sweetened cream, adding more sugar for a sweeter cream.

6. Dollop some cream onto each dessert and sift some cocoa powder over them. The whipped cream will form a cushion of topping, not a stiff one. The dessert should be served right after the cream is spooned onto the top of each glass of the dessert and they are all powdered with cocoa.