Dessert- Chocolate Orange Creme Brûlée

This is based on John Besh's blood orange creme brûlée.  This is a great dairy free version. My blood oranges were harvested before Christmas and I couldn't find any at the local markets.  So I used regular oranges and added an ounce or so of dark chocolate, 75% cacao.  The result was superb!

• 1 cup ground blanched almonds ( no skin)
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 ounce melted dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°. Put the almonds, orange juice, and granulated sugar into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow the almonds to steep in the orange juice for 5 minutes, then strain the juice through a fine sieve. Let the juice cool.

Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl until they are thick and pale yellow.  Whisk some eggs into the melted chocolate and then slowly incorporate the two together, stirring continuously. Continue whisking as you slowly add the strained orange juice.

Put 4-5  3-ounce ramekins into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Add enough hot water to the pan that it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Fill the ramekins with the egg and juice mixture and bake until the custards have set in the center, 30-40 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, transfer ramekins to a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.  Sprinkle caster sugar on top of each custard and broil with a small kitchen torch until the sugar melts, browns, and covers the top completely.  Nice with Grand Marnier, Amaretto, or a glass of champagne.  Enjoy!