• 4 oz. (125 g.) Bournville plain chocolate
• 2 oz. (50 g.) castor sugar
• 4 tablespoons cold water
• ½ pint (275 ml.) double cream
• 3 large egg yolks (size 2)
• 2 tablespoons dark rum

For the praline

• 2 oz. (50 g.) almonds, unblanched
• 2 oz. (50 g.) castor sugar

Make the praline by melting the sugar in a heavy pan. Cook until golden brown, add the almonds and stir together. Pour onto a lightly buttered baking tray. When cold, crush coarsely in a processor.

Break the chocolate into a processor.

Place the sugar and water in a small pan. Dissolve the sugar and then bring to the boil. Boil for about 5 minutes until 4 tablespoons of syrup are left.

While the syrup is boiling, add the rum to the cream and whip until it forms soft peaks.

Pour the syrup onto the chocolate, cover and blend for 30 seconds. Drop in the yolks and continue to blend until thick and paler. Empty the mixture onto the cream and using a balloon whisk, gently mix together until thoroughly blended. Mix in 2 oz. (50 g.) of the praline.

Transfer to 6-8 ‘pot au crème’ dishes. Freeze for at least 3 hours. Take out a few minutes before serving, top with a swirl of whipped cream and sprinkle with a little crushed praline.