3 lg. eggs, separated
3/4 pt. milk (1 7/8 c.)
1 vanilla pod
3 oz. confectioners sugar (3/8 c.)
5 tbsp. water
1 1/2 level tbsp. powdered gelatin
3 oz. chocolate dots or plain block chocolate, grated
1/2 pt. heavy whipping cream (1 1/4 c.)

Put the milk in a pan with the vanilla pod and heat gently until it just reaches boiling point. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

Ladle about 1/3 of the warm milk onto the creamy yolks and sugar; scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and blend in well.

Remove the vanilla pod. Blend the egg custard with the remaining milk in the saucepan and stir over gentle heat to thicken. This will take 15-20 minutes. Do not allow it to boil or the mixture will curdle. If you find it difficult to control the heat sufficiently, put the custard in a basin over a pan of hot water to thicken it.

Stir the chocolate dots or grated block of chocolate into the hot custard until completely dissolved and evenly mixed. Measure the water into a bowl and sprinkle in the gelatin. Place it over a pan of hot water and dissolve the gelatin slowly. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes.

Stir 1-2 tablespoons of the chocolate custard into the dissolved gelatin and pour this blend in a thin stream into the remainder of the custard, stirring continuously with a spoon.

Turn the custard into a bowl and place it in a larger basin of ice cubes and water and stir continuously until thick but still flowing. Lightly whip 3/4 of the cream and whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Spoon a little of the chocolate custard into the cream, then add all the cream to the custard, blending thoroughly.

The chocolate mixture should now be on the point of setting. Pour it on the whisked egg whites and fold it in quickly and lightly with a tablespoon, until no pockets of egg white are visible. Do not fold in too much as this will beat out some of the air in the mixture, and the bavarois will be small and solid.

Pour into a lightly oiled 2 1/2 pint capacity mold and put in the refrigerator to set. To serve, remove the molded bavarois from the refrigerator and allow it to stand for 15 minutes. Then ease the bavarois away from the side of the mold by tilting at a light angle and rotating the mold. Unmold it onto a wet serving plate and slide it into the center of the plate.

Whip the remaining cream and pipe rosettes around the base of the bavarois with a large star vegetable nozzle. Decorate with caraque chocolate.