Chocolate Mint Crisp Flan Recipe

200 g gingernut biscuits (cookies), crushed
75 g plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, melted
75 g butter, melted

3 egg yolks
125 g caster (superfine) sugar
45 ml creme de menthe

10 ml powdered gelatin

30 ml/2 tbsp water
A few drops of green food coloring

250 ml double (heavy) cream
1 egg white
A few mint sprigs
3 square chocolate after-dinner mints, diagonally halved into triangles

Method:

Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted chocolate and butter. Press into a 23 cm/9 in flan dish (pie pan). Chill until firm. Put the egg yolks and 100g of the sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale. Whisk in the Creme de Menthe until thick. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl. Leave to soften for 5 minutes, then stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved (or heat briefly in the microwave). Stir into the egg yolk mixture with a few drops of green food coloring. Whip the cream until peaking and fold about two-thirds into the green mixture. Rim into the flan case (pie shell). Chill until set.

Meanwhile, lightly beat the egg white and brush over the mint sprigs, then dust with the remaining caster sugar. Leave on a sheet of greaseproof (waxed) paper to dry. Just before serving, decorate the top of the flan with the remaining whipped cream, the chocolate triangles and the frosted mint sprigs.