Crème de Cogne

It is eaten cold, with a spoon, often with a few tegole biscuits on the side. Crème de Cogne is one of the best-known desserts of the Aosta Valley. Its exact origin is little known, but its name links it to the village of Cogne, at the foot of Gran Paradiso.

Few ingredients

You need cream, egg yolks, sugar and chocolate. A little alcohol is often added, usually rum. The result is a smooth cream, full of flavour without being too heavy.

The recipe

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 500 ml single cream
• 100 g dark chocolate
• 4 egg yolks
• 100 g sugar
• 2 tablespoons rum (optional)

Method:

1. The chocolate. Chop the chocolate finely. Melt it in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring constantly.
2. The cream. Meanwhile, heat the cream in another saucepan.
3. The yolks. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture turns pale and frothy.
4. Combining. Gradually pour the hot cream over the yolks, whisking all the time. Pour everything back into the pan of melted chocolate.
5. Cooking. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens slightly. It must never boil, or the eggs will curdle.
6. The rum. Off the heat, add the rum.
7. Chilling. Divide the cream between ramekins. Leave them in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

A few variations

• The chocolate. A dark chocolate with 70% cocoa gives a stronger flavour. Milk chocolate gives a milder cream.
• Alcohol-free. The rum can be replaced with a little vanilla extract.
• To serve. The cream is best eaten well chilled, with Aosta tegole or plain biscuits. It rounds off a meal, or goes with a coffee.