Chocolate Extravaganza

— -- Serves 6

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

To prepare the Hazelnut Pot de Crème: Mix the egg yolks and hazelnut paste in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, and temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring in the milk mixture while whisking vigorously. Stir in the vanilla extract and then pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a small baking dish. Place the baking dish into a larger baking pan, about 10 inches by 13 inches, and pour hot water into the baking pan, until it reaches about 1 inch up the side of the small baking dish; be careful not to splash any of the hot water into the hazelnut mixture. Transfer to the oven and back until the hazelnut crème is set, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

To prepare the Chocolate Mousse: Pour 2 ¼ cups of the cream into a mixing bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Put the bowl in the refrigerator. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; let them sit while you prepare the sugar syrup.

Pour 2 tablespoons of water into a small saucepan, add the sugar, and set over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until the mixture reaches 248°F on a candy thermometer. Start beating the egg yolks on medium speed and gradually add the sugar syrup. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and cool, about 4 minutes.