Easter recipes

All the usuals

Every so often the old food blogger in me rears her ugly head and feels compelled to share Important Recipes with you. That’s how I used to see what I did for a living! Ha. Genuinely thought my new take on spag bol might change the world. It was a strange time working in food. I’m glad I don’t do it anymore, though my bank account misses the brand deals that’s for sure.

Anyway, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys baking and cooking for special occasions here are a selection of my best Easter recipes including Simnel flapjack, white chocolate and cranberry hot cross buns, orange spiced fudge, Creme egg cheesecake, white chocolate and lemon mousse ‘eggs’, Easter apostles scone loaf and of course a showstopper of a chocolate brownie nest cake with Cadbury creme egg buttercream and a chocolate nest full of mini eggs.

Other recipes are available, probably just as good, if not better. If you’re so inclined the entire blog back catalogue is available here. I haven’t dared take it off-line yet. I need to. Maybe after Easter.

(If you note there’s some inconsistency in the way the recipes are presented it’s that the blog spanned over a decade so my writing changed, as did I).

Simnel Easter flapjack

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

• 175g butter

• 50g light brown muscovado sugar

• 140g golden syrup

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 2 cloves, ground

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 250g oats

• 150g raisins/sultanas

• 50g mixed peel

• 250g marzipan, cut into 1cm squares

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180c/fan 160/has mark 4 and line a 25 x 25cm tray with non stick baking paper. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a large saucepan over a low heat. Remove from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well. Pour into the tray and press down evenly. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely in the tray before cutting into squares. NB: the flapjack will look bubbling and molten in the centre when you remove from the oven. It will set upon cooling.

White chocolate & cranberry hot cross buns

Made 11 for me

Ingredients:

• 500g strong white flour

• 7g sachet fast action dried yeast

• 7g salt

• 15g olive oil

• 50g caster sugar

• 1 large egg

• 350mls warm, body temperature, milk

• 1 clove ground very finely

• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 50g white chocolate chips

• 100g dried cranberries

• Egg wash made from an egg with a pinch of salt stirred in

• ‘Cross’ paste made from 70g strong white flour mixed to a pipeable but stiff paste with cold water

• Glaze made from boiling 60mls water with 50g caster sugar

Mix together the flour, yeast, salt, olive oil and caster sugar. Add the warm milk and mix again. Then add the egg, beaten and mix again. Knead until shiny and elastic – probably about 10 minutes by hand or about 4 in a mixer. I used my stand mixer as this is a VERY sticky dough – it’s enriched with milk and eggs which mean it’s hard work by hand. It isn’t impossible but I am just warning you. A dough scraper might be useful if you do do this by hand. And remove all rings.

Once shiny and elastic (but still sticky) cover in clingfilm and leave to double in size. Once doubled add the clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Mix well whilst knocking back the dough then scrape onto a floured work surface and divide the dough into as many pieces as you wish to make buns. I managed 11 oddly.

Flour a baking tray lightly and then take your piece of dough, dip it in a little of the flour on the work surface so it doesn’t stick to your hands – then squash it in your hand and pull the edges into the middle, like you’re folding something exciting into the centre. Pinch these edges together and then place the bun pinched side down on the tray. Continue until all the dough is used and leave about a 1cm space between each bun. Cover loosely in clingfilm and leave to proof until double the size.

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Make the flour paste for the crosses by mixing 70g strong white flour with a little water until you have a stiff paste. It needs to be pipeable but not too thin that it drips down the buns. Once the buns are double the size brush them in egg wash then pipe a cross onto each bun. The buns will be touching by now through the proofing process so it’s actually easier to pipe along all the buns in one direction and then turn the tray and do the same – rather than pipe each cross individually. Pop into the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes but keep an eye on them as enriched doughs, especially ones with sugar in, have a tendency to burn easily. Also your buns might be bigger or smaller than mine so will likely have a different baking time. They’re done when browned and risen.

Whilst they’re baking make the glaze by boiling 60g water with 50g caster sugar. Had I thought about it at the time I might have added a little orange water or even lemon juice to this mixture but I didn’t. When the buns are ready grab them from the oven and brush with the still warm glaze. Beware using too much as it makes for soggy bun bottoms by dripping under the buns and pooling on the baking tray. When cool enough to touch pull the buns apart and transfer to a rack. Eat slightly warm with chocolate spread or toasted with salted butter. Or in bread and butter pudding.

You can totally substitute different chocolates/dried fruits/spices etc

Chocolate brownie nest cake with creme egg buttercream

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 150g butter, salted or unsalted but I tend to use salted

• 250mls water

• 250g dark chocolate, finely chopped

• 300g plain flour

• 60g cocoa

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 550g caster sugar

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• 30mls olive oil

• 90mls milk

• 10mls lemon juice (from a bottle is fine)

For the bird’s nest:

• 50g butter

• 30g golden syrup

• 200g milk chocolate (broken up Easter egg remnants are perfect)

• 100g Shredded Wheat (4 pieces), crumbled into pieces

For the icing:

• 125g salted butter, softened

• 250g icing sugar

• 3 tbsp double cream

• 5 x Cadbury Crème Eggs

To decorate:

• 2 x 90g bags Cadbury Mini eggs

• Yellow fluffy chicks (optional)

Instructions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas mark 3 and line 2 x 20cm round tins. Melt together the butter, cold water and chocolate for the cake in a saucepan. Once melted remove from the heat and set aside. Mix together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and sugar. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the dry mixture along with the eggs and oil. Beat for 4 minutes until smooth. In the meantime add the lemon juice to the milk to sour it. Add this to the cake mixture and beat for another minute until really creamy and smooth. Divide equally between the two tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes, until well risen a toothpick comes out of the centre of the cakes clean. Cool on a wire rack, out of the tins. Whilst the cakes are baking make the birds nest cake topper by melted the butter and syrup over a very low heat in a saucepan. Add the chocolate and stir until it’s melted. Stir through the Shredded Wheat until completely coated. Draw a 20cm circle onto a piece of non-stick baking paper, turn it over and then spoon the Shredded Wheat onto the paper, being careful to stay about 1cm within the line. Build the nest up towards the outside to make it slightly higher using your hands. Leave in a cool place (not the fridge though) to set. Make the icing by beating the butter for 5 minutes in a stand mixer/using a hand held mixer or with a wooden spoon. Add the icing sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the double cream and beat for 7 minutes until light and fluffy. Break the Crème Eggs up into pieces and stir through the buttercream. (If using a stand mixer you can add them whole to the bowl and beat on a low setting). Assemble the cake by using half the icing to sandwich the cakes together and the rest spread on top of the cake. Carefully use a slice or cake lifter to move the nest to the top of the cake, add Mini Eggs to the top and a few fluffy chicks if you wish.

Crème egg cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the base:

• 125g digestive biscuits (about 8), crushed

• 75g butter, melted

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 75g dark chocolate chips

For the cheesecake:

• 350g cream cheese, softened

• 85g icing sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 300mls double cream, whipped to stiff peaks

• 5 Cadbury crème eggs, cut into 6 pieces each

For the top layer:

• 150g milk chocolate

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 89g bag mini Cadbury crème eggs

Grease and line a 20cm springform tin with clingfilm – this is important as it makes it much easier to remove later. Mix the biscuits, melted butter and sugar together (you can use a food processor if you wish), stir in the chocolate chips and press into the tin using the back of a metal spoon. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

To make the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a stand mixer, with an electric handheld mixer or with a wooden spoon until combined. Then gently fold through the whipped double cream with a large metal spoon. Spoon a third onto your chilled biscuit base, then add half of the crème egg pieces, add another third, then the rest of the crème egg pieces and then the last third of the cheesecake mixture. Smooth until flatish and pop back in the fridge for 1 hour.

Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave or over a bain marie then add the oil, stirring well. Pour over the top of the cheesecake and add the mini crème eggs to the top. Chill for another 2 hours.

To serve gently remove the springform tin and unpeel from the clingfilm. Cut into slices using a knife dipped in hot water for clean cuts, though beware this dessert is messy when served.

White chocolate mousse eggs with lemon curd yolks

Makes about 9 though depends on the size of your chocolate eggs

Ingredients:

For the curd:

• 35g butter

• 70g castor sugar

• 1 lemon

• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

For the mousse:

• 2 large eggs, separated

• 125g white chocolate

To finish:

• 9 hollow milk chocolate eggs (though how many you fill will depend on the size of your eggs of course)

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, allow to cool a little. Locate something to stand the finished eggs in – an empty egg box would be perfect.

Make the curd by placing a pan of simmering water over a medium heat and placing a heat proof bowl over the top, being careful that the water doesn’t touch the bowl. Place the butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice into the bowl and whisk. Stir until completely dissolved.

Then add the eggs and whisk intermittently for 10 minutes until the curd has thickened. Chill in the fridge.

To make the mousse, whisk the egg yolks until pale and creamy then add in the melted chocolate and whisk well. In a very clean bowl whisk the egg whites until you have stiff peaks then add 1 tbsp into the mousse to loosen it a little – simply beat it in with a wooden spoon. Then add in the rest of the whisked egg whites and fold into the mousse with a metal spoon using a slicing action. Place the mousse in the fridge.

Take the hollow chocolate eggs and gently saw off the top of the egg with a sharp knife, just to reveal the inside enough to spoon mousse into. Spoon or pipe white chocolate mousse into the hollow eggs and place in the egg box. Spoon a tiny bit of cooled lemon curd into the middle of the mousse before serving.

NB: These hollow eggs must be kept in the fridge until serving. It is advised not to serve raw eggs to young children, pregnant women or the elderly.

Easter Apostles scone loaf

Ingredients:

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp mixed spice

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Zest of 1 orange

• 50g butter, slightly soft

• 20g flaked almonds

• 40g cranberries

• 10g crystalised ginger, finely chopped

• 40g apricots

• 50g raisins

• 150mls whole or semi skimmed milk

Preheat the oven to Gas 7/220C and check the rack is in the centre of the oven. Lightly grease a baking tray with a little butter. Mix the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and zests in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your finger tips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir the almonds, cranberries, ginger, apricots and raisins in well so they’re all coated in the flour mixture.

Pour the milk over the mixture and pull together with a blunt table knife. Once combined use your hand to pull the scone together. The less handling the better when making scones so don’t mix or knead vigorously.

Place the scone dough on your tray and shape with your hands into a loaf shape about 1 inch thick. Score the top with a sharp knife, about a quarter of the way down, in a zig-zag fashion to make 11 triangles (one for each Apostle, to break off easily.) Bake immediately for between 20 – 25 minutes until golden all over. Dust with icing sugar if you wish.

Chocolate orange Easter spiced fudge

Ingredients:

• 200g marshmallows

• 70g butter, cut into cubes the size of a thumb nail

• 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• Zest of one orange (no pith though!)

• 100g raisins

• 40g crystalised ginger, chopped finely

• Small sugar eggs if you so wish

Place the marshmallows, butter, dark chocolate, ground cinnamon and orange zest into a saucepan. Heat on a low hob until completely dissolved, stirring regularly. Don’t be tempted to hurry it by turning up the heat – the chocolate will burn!

Remove from the heat and add the raisins and ginger, stir well and pour into a tin (approx. 24cm x 24cm) lined with greaseproof paper. (Don’t wait about as it starts to set sharpish.) Push small sugar eggs into the top if you wish (try and leave some clear lines to aid cutting) then refrigerate for 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve. I warn you, this stuff is addictive.