MERINGUE NESTS & EASTER ROCKY ROAD

OK, I have six kids to entertain over the easter holidays and one of the best ways I know of is cooking because after the cooking comes the eating.  These are two recipes that children will love getting stuck into

Believe it or not there are people out there who don't like chocolate, I know it's difficult to comprehend but there are even some who still have Christmas chocolate! Those people look away now, you may find the following scenes upsetting.

EASTER ROCKY ROAD

170g Dark Chocolate
170g Butter
170g Golden Syrup
400g Shortbread Biscuits
100g Mini Marshmallows

100g Micro Mini Eggs

This is a bit of a variation on the classic easter nests but with some cheeky extra's..

Melt the butter, syrup and chocolate in a pan.
Leave this to cool slightly while you break up  the short bread.
Now stir the short bread into the chocolate then add the half the marshmallows and half the Micro Eggs.
Press the mixture into a  20cm x 15cm tin lined with parchment or into muffin cases.
Sprinkle over the remaining marshmallows and Mini Eggs.
Leave to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge to set completely.

EASTER MERINGUE NESTS

If my house is anything  to go by, Easter brings with it a small mountain of chocolate so hear is a bake which avoids using too much.

(Makes 15)

4 Egg Whites

250g Caster Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

100g Dark Chocolate

50g Sugared Coconut

Mini Eggs

These are just the kind of thing that as a child I would stare at longingly in the cake shop window.  They definitely have a bit of a retro feel to them with two of my favourite sweets, mini eggs and sugared coconut.  I remember buying a 1/4 of both of them from my local sweet shop.

Heat the oven to 100C and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until they form soft peaks.  Add the sugar a spoon at a time while continually whisking.  The egg whites should become stiff and glossy.

Draw circles on the underside of your parchment approximately 6cm across.  Turn your parchment back over and use them as a guide to pipe your nests.  Bake the nests for  1-1 1/2 hours until the nests come away from the parchment easily. 

Leave to cool while you melt chocolate in a double boiler. 

To decorate spoon a little chocolate onto each nest and top with the coconut and eggs.

Have a good Easter break