Easter tarts: Indulgent chocolate treats

The traditional Easter bunny is the inspiration behind these seasonal bakes to make delicious tarts, filled with chocolate ganache and sprinkled in icing sugar

Makes 12

175g chilled butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

60g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

115ml double cream

300g 85% cocoa solids cooking chocolate

icing sugar, to dust

In a large bowl, combine the butter with the flour and sugar, then rub the butter into the dry ingredients to make fine crumbs. Stir in the egg yolk and 2 tbsp of ice-cold water and bring together with a spoon. Knead until the pastry comes together into a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and chill for 20 mins.

To make the chocolate ganache filling, heat the cream in a saucepan until lukewarm. When it is just about to simmer, break in the cooking chocolate. Keep on a very low simmer for approximately 2 mins, stirring until the chocolate melts and the mixture thickens. Allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Roll out the pastry on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Cut out 12 circles with a pastry cutter to line a 12-hole cupcake tray. Bring the off-cuts together and roll out. Cut out 12 slightly smaller lids for the tarts, dusted with more flour if necessary. Stamp out a bunny shape on each of the lids with a small cutter, or cut out by hand with a sharp knife. Grease the tray with butter, then line with the pastry bottoms. Fill the tarts with a heaped teaspoon of the ganache then fit the pastry tops. Press down gently on the edges to fix them.

Bake for 20 mins until golden and cooked through. Allow to cool, then dust with icing sugar. Cover the bunny shapes with the back of a teaspoon to keep the chocolate ganache from being covered in icing sugar. Serve.

Wrapped in a pretty box, they make lovely Easter gifts

Recipe: Liz O'Keefe; Photography: House of Food