When it comes to traditional holidays and birthdays, I have to admit I am probably worse than most children. Not that I would ever admit this to my family, however I tend to go slightly overboard in decorating the house, traditional cooking, not to mention the excitement on the actual day preventing any notion of having a “sleep in”! This easter I want to focus on all the traditional foods, home made easter eggs and so on and through my rummaging have come up with some awesome recipes and ideas. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Hot Cross Buns
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk
1 package (1/4 oz.) (7 grams) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar
3 1/2 – 4 cups (455 – 520 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (85 grams) candied fruit and peel mix
1/4 cup (25 grams) raisins or currants
Egg wash:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or cream
Glaze:
1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon milk or cream
METHOD:
In a small saucepan or in the microwave heat the milk until lukewarm (about 100 degrees F/38 degrees C). Add the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir to combine. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until the yeast is activated and is foamy.
Meanwhile in the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the flour, brown sugar, spices, and salt. Once the yeast is foamy, add to the flour mixture and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. With the mixer on low, gradually add the butter, mixing until the butter is incorporated and the dough comes together. With the dough attachment, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and, by hand, gradually knead in the candied and dried fruit.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough once, so the top is lightly greased. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot to rise until it has doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours).
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, and divide into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a small round ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet (Place three buns to a row, four rows altogether. They should be spaced so they have enough room to double in size.) Make an egg wash of one beaten egg with 1 tablespoon milk, and brush the tops of the buns with the wash. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and place in a warm spot until almost doubled in size (about 30 – 60 minutes).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash again and, with a sharp, lightly greased knife (I spray it with Pam), make a cross in the tops of each bun. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the buns are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool. Then serve.
Apple and Almond Cake - Nigella Lawson
| FOR THE APPLE PUREE |
| 3 tart eating apples, such as Braeburns |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice |
| 2 tablespoons caster sugar |
| FOR THE CAKE |
| almond oil/flavourless vegetable oil to grease tin |
| 8 eggs |
| 325g ground almonds |
| 275g caster sugar |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice |
| 50g flaked almonds |
| TO DECORATE |
| 1 teaspoon icing sugar |
METHOD
| 1. | Peel, core and chop the apples roughly. Put them in a saucepan with the lemon juice and sugar and bring the pan to a bubble over a medium heat. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until you can mash the apple to a rough puree with a wooden spoon or fork. Leave to cool. |
| 2. | Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/180*C; oil a 25cm spring form tin with almond or a flavourless vegetable oil and line the bottom with baking parchment. |
| 3. | Put the cooled puree in the processor with the eggs, ground almonds, caster sugar and 1 tablespoon – or generous squeeze – of lemon juice and blitz to a puree. Pour and scrape, with a rubber spatula for ease, into the prepared tin, sprinkle the flaked almonds on top, and bake for 45 minutes. It’s worth checking after 35 minutes, as ovens do vary, and you might well find its cooked earlier – or indeed you may need to give a few minutes longer. |
| 4. | Put on a wire rack to cool slightly, then spring open. This cake is best served slightly warm, though still good cold. As you bring it to the table, push a teaspoon of icing sugar through a fine sieve to give a light dusting. |
Sugar Cookie Bunnies - Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. With machine running, gradually add flour mixture; mix until combined. Shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes (or up to 3 days).
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 5-inch-tall bunny-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Reroll scraps, and cut out. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.
Rich Chocolate Cake with Truffle Eggs
Ingredients
Serves 8
- Vegetable-oil cooking spray
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Whipped Ganache Frosting
- 225g semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 slab dark chocolate
- Truffle Eggs
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 3-inch-high, 7-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Coat parchment with cooking spray, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso powders and water; whisk until dissolved. Whisk in sugar until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour, and salt; whisk until combined.
- Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes. Unmold, and remove parchment; let cool.
- Trim tops of cake layers level. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread with 1/2 cup ganache frosting. Place remaining layer, cut side down, on top. Coat top and sides with remaining cup frosting. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Put semisweet chocolate, cream, and corn syrup into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes. Pour over cake, and then refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Using a chef’s knife, scrape milk chocolate bar at a 90-degree angle, forming enough curls and shards to measure 1 1/2 cups. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Transfer cake to serving dish; form a nest with chocolate shavings on top, and fill with truffle eggs.
Chocolate Easter Bunny
The key to making these Easter treats is tempering the chocolate; this involves stabilizing the chocolate through a melting and cooling process, which makes it malleable and glossy. If the cocoa butter in the chocolate is not stabilized, it will form crystals and create dull gray streaks. You can easily temper chocolate in a microwave oven. Also, you can use plastic molds to form your figures — they are easy to work with and not as costly as metal molds.
Tools and Materials
Chocolate (amount depends on size of mold)
Microwave oven
Immersion blender
Thermometer
Knife
Plastic running rabbit mold
Ladle
Wire rack
Baking sheet
Paring knife
Chocolate Rabbit How-To
1. Use a serrated knife to chop chocolate into shards. Set about half aside.
2. Melt the remaining shards in the microwave oven; transfer melted chocolate to another vessel to cool.
3. Add the remaining chopped chocolate. Use an immersion blender to break up some of the lumps.
4. Use a thermometer to check the temperature. Stop adding chocolate and blending when chocolate reaches 88 to 90 degrees.
5. Dip a knife into the chocolate to find out if it is tempered; the chocolate is tempered if the portion that remains on the knife becomes shiny and hard within 1 minute.
6. Paint each side of a plastic running rabbit mold with different shades of chocolate to create a two-tone effect.
7. Use a ladle to fill the mold with chocolate; shift the mold to make sure you have covered every area.
8. When the mold is full, pour any excess chocolate back into the bowl.
9. Wipe the edge of the mold.
10. Place the mold upside down on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.
11. When the chocolate begins to harden, scrape the edge clean with a paring knife.
12. As the chocolate sets, it will shrink and retract from the sides of the mold.
13. Refrigeration can accelerate the hardening process.
14. Unmold the chocolate rabbit.
Note:
Plastic molds are available at most crafts stores.
Easter Bunny Bread - (Taste of Home)
Ingredients
1kg frozen bread dough, thawed
2 raisins
2 sliced almonds
1 egg, lightly beaten
Lettuce leaves
Dip of your choice
Method:
Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers.
Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body.
Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose. Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.
Brush dough with egg. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Place bread on a lettuce-lined 16-in. x 13-in. serving tray. Cut a 5-in. x 4-in. oval in center of body. Hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Line with lettuce and fill with dip. Yield: 1 loaf.
Have a fantastic Easter!
Happy Cooking!!
