Chocolate-Tia Maria Cakes with Vanilla Foam and Orange Brittle

Chocolate-Tia Maria Cakes with Vanilla Foam and Orange Brittle

Time: Less than an hour
Effort: Easy
Serves: 2

Ingredients
1 large juice orange
5 tbsp. cane sugar
1 tsp. warm water
3/4 cup heavy cooking cream (not whipping cream!)
1/2 tsp. real vanilla essence
2 tsp. icing sugar
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. unsalted butter
2 oz. Tia Maria (coffee liquor)
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. flour, sifted
Butter for tins/ramekins

Method
Grate the peel from the orange in strips, into a small saucepan with 3 tbsp. of the cane sugar, and 1 tsp. warm water. Turn burner on high and boil the mixture, stirring with a metal spoon until it reaches candy stage.About 5 minutes. (If you don't have a candy thermometer, the mixture will turn dark golden and when you dip a metal spoon and lift it out of the pot, the mixture will harden as it drips). Remove from heat immediately and quickly spoon equal amounts in whatever shape you like, onto cold parchment paper. Set aside to cool.
Pour the cream into a small bowl, add the icing sugar and the vanilla and whisk until it forms a thick foam. Refrigerate. 
Heat oven to 400o.
Grease two small tins or ramekins (about 3" in diameter) then line with a strip of parchment - ensuring the parchment is at least 1" higher than the tops of the ramekins.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate (on low heat). Remove from heat and add the remaining sugar, Tia Maria and blend well. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Drizzle with flour and whisk lightly. Pour even amounts into the ramekins and bake until puffed and a little cracked on top. About 20 minutes. (Bake for less time if you want the centers molten.)
To serve: Gently remove the cakes from the ramekins, spoon generous amounts of vanilla foam over the top and garnish each one with an orange brittle. Serve warm or cold.