Chocolate Easter Tarts
This recipe makes ten 7-8cm tarts.
For the pastry
- 200g plain flour
- 100g cold unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tbsp ice cold water
For the mousse
- 100g chocolate Easter eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 100 ml double cream
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
For the nest and decoration
- 200g chocolate Easter eggs
- 6-8 shredded wheats
- Mini chocolate eggs
- Small edible flowers like violets or pansies
To make them
- First make the pastry. Put the flour, salt, icing sugar and butter into a food processor and blitz to fine breadcrumbs.
- Beat the egg and water together and then pour slowly into the processor while the blade is running until a rough dough ball forms.
- Turn it out onto your work surface and knead gently into a sausage shape.
- Cut 10 equal pieces, roll them into a small ball, flatten and pop into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Put the oven on to 200C.
- Grease and line ten loose bottom 10cm tart tins with some butter.
- Roll out each pastry ball til it’s a few millimetres thick and then line each buttered tart tin with the pastry making sure you push it down firmly.
- Lightly prick the base and pop the tart tins in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Lay some foil or cling film over each tart tin and then fill with baking beads, rice or kidney beans to weigh down.
- Bake these for 8 minutes and then take the beads/rice/beans out and pop them back in the oven to brown for another 3-4 minutes.
- Leave to cool in their tins.
- Next make the chocolate mousse. Melt the chocolate in the microwave – do this in 30 second bursts so as not to burn the chocolate. Or simply put a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and let the chocolate melt.
- Leave the chocolate to cool slightly – it should be warm and runny but not hot otherwise when you add the eggs they will scramble.
- Whisk the cream til fluffy and set aside.
- Whisk the egg whites til fluffy soft peaks form and then add the caster sugar one teaspoon at a time while still whisking until it’s stiff and shiny.
- Beat the egg yolks into the melted chocolate quickly – it should get thick, glossy and a little grainy.
- Beat the whipped cream into the chocolatey mixture until it’s light and fluffy with no grainy texture.
- Now gently fold the egg whites in a little at a time. The slower the better as it will make your mousse very light.
- Fill your pastry cases with your chocolate mousse and pop them in the fridge to set.
- Finally make the chocolate nest. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water as before.
- Leave to cool slightly and then crumble in the shredded wheat and stir to distribute the chocolate evenly.
- Arrange this mixture gently on top of the mousse tarts and flatten slightly in the middle for the eggs to sit on.
- leave to cool slightly and then decorate by placing the chocolate eggs in the middle and some flowers around the side.