Boozy Chocolate Mousse Tart

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Chocolate Tart

This blog is starting to come together now but there is still so much to learn.  If you are starting a new blog or thinking about doing so, my advice would be not to stress the little things and just do it.  It’s amazing to see things just happening and falling into place.  It’s also a great feeling when you figure something out all by yourself even if it’s as small as just changing your avatar.  But the internet is a great resource, when using it right of course.  I saw a funny dialog box the other day trying to log into a new account and it made me laugh so much I stopped breathing for a few seconds.  I thought to myself this is exactly what’s happening with my blog at the moment.  It read like this…

Your account is so new, we are still playing with the bubble wrap!

 I could just picture these little IT nerds receiving a package, with enclosed my new account all wrapped in bubble wrap, and them getting all wired about it.  I can actually imagine them looking like those little Minions from ‘Despicable Me’.  Hilarious!

To celebrate women’s day, 9 August 2013, I invited a few of my good friends for a sunny afternoon braai.  I must say we have had a pretty mild winter.  The weather has been great and this is why I love living in South Africa.  So I thought something chocolaty, rich and flavorful would be appropriate.  I decided to make a Boozy Chocolate Mousse Tart.  It was a great idea cause it turned out to be a BIG hit.  It’s the best compliment when your friends go for seconds and even more so when you know they don’t really have a sweet tooth.  

Tart

This Tart is naughty but unbelievably moreish and serving it with fresh fruit is a great way to finish off a delicious Chocolate Mousse Tart.  The base has a chocolate brownie texture that goes really well with the rich Chocolate Mousse.   Layered between the base and the Mousse, I’ve added a spread of blueberry dark chocolate ganache.  Yummm!!!

Chocolate Mouse Tart

 So like they say:

The proof is in the pudding.

Here goes my recipe for a Boozy Chocolate Mousse Tart.

Boozy Chocolate Mousse Tart
Serves 8
A rich chocolaty dessert with a hint of Van Der Hum liqueur.
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Prep Time
1 hr 20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 40 min
Prep Time
1 hr 20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
1 hr 40 min
For the Brownie Pastry
  1. 175 g flour
  2. 50 g cocoa powder
  3. 50 g icing sugar
  4. 140 g unsalted butter
  5. 3 large egg yolks
For the Boozy Chocolate Mousse Filling
  1. 180 g Cadbury Bournville dark chocolate (70% good quality dark chocolate chopped)
  2. 125 g butter
  3. 3 tablespoons van der hum liqueur (or brandy)
  4. 1 large egg, plus 2 yolks
  5. 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  6. 175 ml wipping cream
  7. 2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
For the blueberry chocolate ganache
  1. 100 g Lindt Excellence Blueberry Intense (or try your own flavor of good quality dark chocolate)
  2. 70 ml Cream
For the Brownie Pastry
  1. Sift flour, cocoa and icing sugar together into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the room temperature butter until crumb-like. Do not over mix.
  2. Add egg yolks and 2 tablespoons cold water and mix to bring together into a ball of dough.
  3. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 50 min.
  4. Roll out on a surface dusted in a mix of flour and cocoa powder to about 30cm diameter. Line a 23cm, loose-bottom tart tin with the pastry, prick the base and trim off excess pastry.
  5. Chill for 10 mins. Preheat the oven to 190 °C (374 °F)
  6. Bake pastry blind for 15-20 mins until pastry is set, then for a further 15 min, uncovered.
  7. Take pastry out and leave to cool.
For the Boozy Chocolate Mousse Filling
  1. Melt the chocolate, butter and liqueur in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
  2. Stir and leave to cool for 30 mins.
  3. Whisk egg and yolks for 3-4 mins until it leaves a trail that remains visible for a few secs.
  4. Add corn syrup to the egg and mix well.
  5. Whip cream with your electric mixer, to soft peaks (do not over mix).
  6. Add the cocoa and whisk again to combine.
  7. Fold into chocolate mix with the egg mix, until smooth. Put aside.
For the blueberry chocolate ganache
  1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water.
  2. As it slowly heats through stir in the cream until creamy, shiny ganache form.
  3. Take off the pan and immediately spread over your baked pastry.
  4. Let cool slightly. Add the Mousse and fill the rest of the pastry.
  5. Chill for 2 hours and take your Boozy Chocolate Mousse Tart out the fridge 30 mins before serving.
Sweet Monty http://sweetmonty.co.za/

Lemon Meringue Pie

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Lemon Meringue Pie

I wish you could see the excitement on my face right now.  This is my first post since I took on this exciting challenge of joining the blogging world and I have made the Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie.  I am so proud of it!!

 There is just something about this cost effective yet classic pie that makes you feel like you are at a royal tea party.

A Lemon Meringue Pie with the perfect balance between ‘sweet and tangy’ is hard to find.  You know, the one with a soft, light crown and crunchy, crumble base sandwiching that perfect golden centre – that’s the one I’m talking about. YUM!!

I am about to reveal the Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie recipe inspired by Granny Geej.  But before I do, Granny Geej is the matriarch of our family.  She is a loving person and this Lemon Meringue reminds of her soft, sweet, strong personality.  She gave me this handwritten Lemon Meringue Pie recipe a couple of years ago and instructed me to keep it safe.  The best thing about sharing this great recipe with you is that it can be made again and again and trust me you are going to make it over and over AGAIN.  Savour this loving Pie.

Slice Lemon Meringue Pie

You will want to take this classic dessert pie with you to your next dinner party or lunch time braai with your besties and it WILL WOW them…

See the recipe below for making this beautiful Lemon Meringue Pie.  Have fun making it and whether you are enjoying it with your lovely family or ‘wowing’ your besties, be proud of yourself because you have created perfection.

 Lemon Meringue Pie Steps

Lemon Meringue Pie
Serves 8
A delicious Lemon Meringue Pie. A true classic.
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
For the base
  1. 200 g (1 pack) digestive biscuits - I used oatmeal biscuits covered in yoghurt from Woolworths
  2. 90 g butter (melted)
  3. 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  4. 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the filling
  1. 1 tin (385 g) condensed milk
  2. 1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  3. 4 egg yolks
For the Meringue
  1. 4 egg whites
  2. 1/2 cup (125 ml) caster sugar
  3. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  4. 3 teaspoons cornflour (to sieve over baked filling)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F)
For the base
  1. Mix together biscuits, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. You can use a food processor to get a nice fine crumb. I crumbed the biscuits myself and quite liked the texture. The tangy yoghurt coating in this digestive biscuit really does the trick here.
  2. Press mixture into a greased loose bottom tart pan.
For the filling
  1. Mix together condensed milk, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 4 egg yolks.
  2. Pour into your base and bake at 180 °C (356 °F) for 20 minutes.
For the Meringue
  1. Read the tips below before starting the meringue.
  2. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. While gradually adding the sugar.
  3. Fold in 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
  4. After 20 minutes take the baked filling out and turn the oven down to 150 °C (302 °F).
  5. Sieve 3 teaspoons cornflour over baked filling.
  6. Immediately pile/pipe meringue on top and bake for 10-15 minutes.
  7. Turn oven off and leave pie in oven for another 10 minutes.
  8. Open door slightly and leave to cool completely.
Great Tips
  1. Heat lemons for 20 seconds in the microwave to make squeezing it a lot easier.
  2. Make sure you don't over beat your egg whites.
  3. Separate eggs cold out of the fridge. Egg whites hold better when cold.
  4. Make sure your bowls and utensils are clean since a single bit of fat or egg yolk will interfere with the formation of foam. Yes, no digging around for that lost shell with your oily fingers.
  5. After separating egg whites leave to warm up to room temperature (about 30 min) to ensure volume when beating.
  6. Start adding sugar after egg whites have formed soft peaks. Not before you start beating.
  7. Lemon Meringue is best served on the day it's baked. It's so good there is no reason why you should have any left over for the next day.
  8. Keep your Lemon Meringue at room temperature and NOT in the fridge.
Adapted from Granny Geej
Adapted from Granny Geej
Sweet Monty http://sweetmonty.co.za/