Sometimes your after dinner coffee takes on a more solid form. This is a light, delicious espresso custard that will satisfy your dessert craving and not add much to your daily carb count, or calorie count for that matter. Add a bit of sugar free chocolate syrup – I use Walden Farm’s 0 carb, 0 calories chocolate sauce, and a punch of chopped hazelnuts, topped with a bit of whipped cream for a really special, and easy to make, treat.

Espresso Custard with Chocolate and Hazelnuts

Based on a recipe from the South Beach Diet

1 1/2 cups almond milk or cream
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons sugar substitute
2 teaspoons espresso powder or instant decaffeinated coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar free chocolate syrup
Topping:
Sugar free chocolate topping
Chopped hazelnuts
Whipped cream

Prepare a 10″ skillet by filling it partially with water and placing four 6 ounce custard cups, ramekins or or small coffee cups in the water.

Whisk the milk, eggs, sugar substitute, espresso powder or coffee, chocolate syrup and vanilla extract together until well-blended. Use a measuring cup to pour into four prepared cups. Add enough water to bring the water level in the pan to 1/4″ below the top of the cups. Be careful not to splash water into the cups.

 

Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the custard is set. Carefully remove the cups from the skillet using tongs or a glove, then cover eacjh cup with plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or until chilled.

To serve, you can un-mold or leave the custard in the cup. Put a heaping teaspoon of whipped cream on top, then drip about a spoonful of chocolate sauce over that and sprinkle on hazelnuts.

 

Nutrition Information: (using liquid sucralose or Ideal sugar & Almond milk)
Calories: 77.8 Fat: 5.9 g Net Carbs: 0.9 g Protein: 4.1 g

(using Splenda & Almond milk)
Calories: 81.1 Fat: 6.2 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 4.1 g

(using liquid sucralose or Ideal sugar & heavy cream)
Calories: 77.8 Fat: 21.9 g Net Carbs: 2.2 g Protein: 4.7 g

(using Splenda & heavy cream)
Calories: 224.5 Fat:21.9 g Net Carbs: 3.5 g Protein: 4.7 g