CHOCOLATE CUSTARD CORN PONE

Steps:

• For the corn bread: Melted butter or nonstick vegetable spray for greasing pan. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Line it with a disk of parchment paper or buttered waxed paper. Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water or in a small bowl set over a saucepan of just simmering water. Remove from the heat. Put the flour, cornmeal, sugar, chile powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir together with a whisk. Stir in the eggs and buttermilk, then stir in the chocolate mixture. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until set and a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Break the corn bread into 1-inch chunks. Spread in a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
• For the custard: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water or in a small bowl set over a saucepan of just simmering water. Remove from the heat. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar and bring to a scald. Meanwhile, put the remaining sugar (1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons) and the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk just to blend. While gently whisking the yolks, drizzle the hot cream mixture into them so that they are gradually warmed up. Whisk in the melted chocolate. Using a fine sieve, strain the custard over the corn bread chunks. Wiggle the chunks around so they are well soaked. Place the baking dish in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the custard is set.