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Nid de Pâques
Chocolate Easter nest cake
Nid de Pâques: chocolate Easter nest cake with mini eggs
The nid de Pâques, Easter nest, is the cake French families make with children for Easter Sunday, when the "cloches de Pâques", the Easter bells, are said to fly back from Rome and drop chocolate eggs in the garden. A soft chocolate sponge is covered with chocolate cream, ringed with a nest of chocolate shavings and filled with little sugar-coated eggs. The common mistake is decorating a warm cake, which melts the cream. Chef's tip: let the children press the chocolate flakes round the edge to make the nest.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the cake
- 5 ½ oz unsalted buttersoft
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 5 ½ oz self-raising flour
- 1 oz cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp milk
For the nest
- 5 ½ oz dark or milk chocolate
- ¾ cup double cream
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line a 22 cm round tin.
5 minStep 2: Beat the 5 ½ oz unsalted butter and 5 ½ oz caster sugar until pale, beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, then fold in the 5 ½ oz self-raising flour, 1 oz cocoa powder and 4 tbsp milk.
10 minStep 3: Spoon into the tin and bake for 25–30 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.
30 minStep 4: Bring the ¾ cup double cream to the boil, pour over the 5 ½ oz dark or milk chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool until thick enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
5 minStep 5: Spread the chocolate cream over the top and sides. Pile the 3 chocolate flake bars, crumbled round the edge to make a nest and fill the middle with the 5 ½ oz small sugar-coated chocolate eggs. Small chocolate eggs are a choking risk for under-3s.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nid de Pâques take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Easter