Video: Chocolate “Mouse” Pie
Happiest of Fridays to you! I am so excited to share with you a recipe from our April 2023 ebook, “Tea at Beatrix’s” which is available to download in our online shop as well as our Patreon subscription for $3 per month. This ebook is inspired by the works of the talented author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter.
This recipe for “mouse” pie, which is actually a chocolate mousse pie, is inspired by the book The Tale of the Pie and The Patty-Pan. In the story, a cat called Ribby invites her friend, a dog called Duchess, over for a tea party. She decides to serve mouse pie, which Duchess is a bit anxious about. Duchess decides to swap the pie with one made of veal and ham and then believes she accidentally swallows the “patty pan” or the pie tin! Oops!
The book’s main teachings are about etiquette and social engagement during the early 20th century for children who lived in small villages. The artwork inside is lovely and features many English cottage and floral scenes.
The history of chocolate mousse
These little tarts were inspired by the recipe for mouse pie, and they were actually Jill’s idea! She thought it would be so cute to make a dessert with a little mouse on top, and then we came up with the play on words by making it a chocolate “mousse” pie!
Would chocolate mousse pie been served during Beatrix’s Potter’s time? Beatrix was born in 1866 in West Brompton, England. And chocolate mousse? It apparently came onto the culinary scene in the late 19th century and introduced by none other than the French post-impressionist painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec! It became a fashionable dessert choice in the United States during the Food Exposition at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1892. So yes! It was quite a lovely dessert choice during Beatrix’s adult life.
the method:
This recipe takes some work. Though the components themselves are not complicated to make, it is simply taking the time to make all of the parts that is time consuming. While I was filming this video I began to feel deeply filled with regret because of the time that it was taking to put together.
However, I felt that this was just the type of recipe that you might want some visual and oral instruction on! I hope that you enjoy watching. If you are pressed for time, each of the parts of this little tart can be made days in advance. For instance, the tart shells could be made days ahead and then filled later, the mousse itself keeps in the fridge for about 4 to 5 days, and the little chocolate mice will keep in the fridge for a week or more!
To get access to the full written recipe, you can find it in our April ebook Tea at Beatrix’s or join Patreon for $3 per month. Each month, we share a themed recipe ebook with about 5-6 recipes, an exclusive cooking video, digital artwork, inspiration, exclusive blog posts, and more. We are hoping to grow this community so that we can be supported independently by our art! If you would like to join on, we would absolutely love to have you.
xoxo Kayla
