Preheat your oven to 300°F and bring a pot of water to a boil for the water bath. In a small saucepan, gently heat the heavy cream with 1/4 cup of the sugar and the vanilla extract over low heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat.

Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate, let it sit for 1-2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth.

Slowly stir the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Strain the custard through a fine sieve to remove any lumps.

Divide the custard evenly among 6 ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and carefully pour boiling water into the dish until it comes halfway up their sides.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges are set, but the center still has a slight jiggle. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and let them cool to room temperature, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar evenly over each custard and use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar until it forms a crisp, golden top. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh fruit or berries if desired.