Coconut and Lime Creme Eggs

I used to love the sickening sweetness of creme eggs and the moment you bit in and all the filling dribbles down your chin. Obviously I haven't had one for years but I have been meaning to try to make my own version. I decided that this was the year and that I would make them in time for Easter and then spent ages deliberating over the fillings. These eggs contain a coconut creme with a lime curd centre for a sophisticated take on the classic. This recipe made enough chocolate for 12 half eggs ( I wanted them to not be tooooo sickly) while there is plenty of coconut creme and lime curd to use for other things. I bought silicone egg molds from Lakeland which made the job far easier.

Ingredients:
For the shell:
400g dark chocolate
2 bags free from white chocolate buttons
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the coconut creme:
2 cans of coconut cream
24 tbsp icing sugar - you may need a little more or less

For the Lime curd:
Finely grated zest of 4 large limes
200ml fresh squeezed lime juice (about 8 large lemons)
3 tbsp cornflour
100ml water
200g granulated sugar
60ml soy milk
70g butter - I used dairy free


Method:
For the shell:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of water then stir in the vanilla extract once the chocolate is smooth. Spoon around a tbsp on the melted chocolate into each egg and push up the sides to fully coat the mold. Place in the fridge to solidify while making the fillings.

For the coconut creme:
Place the coconut cream including the coconut water into a large bowl and whip with a beater until light and smooth, add the icing sugar slowly until the mixture thickens and reaches the consistency similar to that of a creme egg.

For the Lime curd:

Zest the limes then roll on a hard work surface to release the juices before squeezing (its amazing how much more you get). Place the lime zest and cornflour into a non-stick pan and slowly whisk in the water until the cornflour has dissolved and a smooth paste forms. Place the pan over a medium heat and add in the remaining water, lime juice and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep stirring the mixture until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon without sliding off. Add in the milk and butter and turn the heat to low. Gently stir the mixture to melt the butter and create a smooth consistency. Once a silky texture has been reached, remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into sterilized jars and leave to cool and set.

Once you have made all of the ingredients its time to assemble. Place a tablespoon of the coconut cream into each of the egg shells then top with a teaspoon of lime curd in the centre. Make sure to leave a little chocolate rim around the edge to seal the eggs.  Pop into the freezer for 15 - 20 minutes to set then spoon the remaining chocolate over the top. Set in the fridge for a few minutes before turning out of the molds. The eggs can be trimmed for a neater look but I have to admit I was far more interested in eating them. The contrast of the creamy coconut works perfectly with the zesty lime and slight bitterness from the chocolate.

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!