Morello cherry chocolate tears

Chocolate, cherries, and more chocolate...

Preparation : 1 h 30

Ingredients for 22 chocolate tears

200 gr dark chocolate chopped into pieces

22 pitted and drained Morello cherries

Chocolate mousse

60 gr dark chocolate

1 tbsp single cream

1 egg yolk

1 egg white

1/2 tsp powdered gelatin

80 ml very cold single cream

• Cut 22 3cm by 11cm rectangles from oven-proof paper.
• Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then off the heat, place a bowl containing the chocolate pieces into the hot water. Avoid the bowl touching the saucepan, and stir the chocolate as it melts.
• Spread a thin layer of chocolate onto a paper rectangle using a spatula. Press the two ends together to form a tear-shape, and hold together. Place on a plate to cool, and repeat th operation with the other rectangles. If the chocolate begins to harden, place it back in the bain-marie, but always off the heat.

• Place a small teaspoon of melted chocolate onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, and place the chocolate tear on top, pressing gently. Repeat for each tear. Leave to harden completely, then trim each chocolate with a sharp knife.

• Delicately lift each chocolate from the paper with a spatula.

• Cut the morello cherries into two.
• Chocolate mousse filling : Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie as above. Add one spoon of single cream and the egg yolk, and mix well.
• Put the gelatin powder in 2 teaspoons of water in a bowl. Place this bowl in a bain-marie to dissolve the gelatin completely. Then add to the chocolate.
• Whip the cold cream with a whisk, and add then mix it into the chocolate mousse.
• Beat the egg white to snow, and fold it into the chocolate mousse.
• Place a cherry into each chocolate tear, and then cover with the chocolate mousse. Fill each chocolate to the very top, as the mousse will tend to settle.

Leave in the fridge for one hour before serving.