EASY EASTER & EASTER NESTS

Oh my goodness, I just love these.  They are the easiest treat to make for Easter, and perfect for making with children.  They take no time at all so can be made and eaten within 1/2 an hour.

The only tricky bit is getting hold of the kataifi pastry.  It's a Greek pastry made from shredded filo pastry and looks like shredded wheat.  I usually find it in Mediterranean supermarkets in the freezer section but you can also buy it on line.

150g Kataifi Pastry

20g Butter

20g Sugar

Pinch Mixed Spice

Nutella

Chocolate Mini Eggs

Melt the butter and sugar in a pan and stir in the mixed spice.  Pull apart the pastry and stir it into the melted butter to coat as much as you can.

Now use the pastry to form nests in a muffin tray.  Make sure you push them firmly against the sides and leave a dip for your eggs in the centre.

Bake for 10 minutes at 180C Fan.  They will be crisp and golden.  Leave them to cool slightly in the tray then remove to a cooling rack.

Now put a teaspoon of Nutella in the centre and finish with mini eggs.

HAPPY EASTER

QUICK LEMON CHEESCAKE

This is a light and refreshing dessert that’s simplicity itself.  Don’t feel that you have to stick to these flavours though.  You could swap the digestives for Bourbons, Hob Nobs or Oreos and use limes or oranges instead of lemons.  For a more adult version slip in 1-2 tbsp of fruit liqueur like Quantro.

200g Digestive Biscuits, crushed

50g Butter

500g Mascarpone Cheese

80g Icing Sugar

Zest & Juice of 2 Lemons

Mini Chocolate Eggs to decorate

Start by making the biscuit base. In a pan melt the butter then add the crushed biscuits and mix well.  Press the mixture into the base of 7” loose bottomed cake tin.  Put this is the fridge to chill whilst you make the filling.

In a bowl beat together the mascarpone, icing sugar, zest and lemon juice.  spread this on top of your biscuit base and return to the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

Once set, remove the cheesecake from the tin and decorate.

HOT CROSS BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING

So, imagine you've made your hot cross buns and you actually have some left over, this is a twist on bread and butter pudding which is great for using them up.  The hot cross buns and custard already have enough fruit and sugar which means you don't have to add any more. It's really quick to throw together and I have to confess to having this for breakfast but don't tell anyone x

6 Hot Cross Buns

Butter to Spread

2 Eggs

200ml Milk

250g Ready Made Custard

2 tbsp Demerara Sugar

Split the hot cross buns and butter both sides.  Place the bottoms in a buttered baking dish.  Combine the custard with the eggs and milk and pour over half.  Now add the tops and pour over the remaining custard mixture.

Leave to stand for 20 minutes allowing the custard to soak into the bread.  Sprinkle over the sugar and bake at 160C for 30 minutes till the custard has set.

HAPPY EASTER XX

HOT CROSS BUNS & BAKING GIVEAWAY - ENDED

Ooh, there's nothing like warm hot cross buns straight from the oven with lots of butter slathered on top so it's all lovely and melty.  Easter seems to give us loads of baking opportunities but this is my favourite.  I've thrown caution to the wind here and messed with a classic recipe but I think it really works.  My inspiration came from Natural Selection Foods and their cinnamon cranberries, they are the perfect addition and you could try them for yourself if you enter my giveaway.  The winner will be chosen on Thursday 5th April

The lovely people from Natural Selection are offering 1 lucky winner an extremely generous hamper of baking goodies that will keep you very busy.  You can also 'like' their face book page and print a £1.00 Off voucher to spend at Asda or Sainsbury's.

The hamper includes:

3 Packs Chopped Apricots

3 Packs Dried Cranberries

3 Packs 5 Fruit Mix

3 Packs Crystallised Ginger

3 Packs Cinnamon Cranberries

3 Packs Chopped Dates

2 Packs Crimson Raisins

A Natural Selection Apron

A Rolling Pin

And A Copy of The Great British Bake Off How To Bake Book

    

All you have to do is :             a) Leave a message on this post

                                                           b) Spread the word on Face Book & Twitter

                                                                c) 'Like' Natural Selection Foods on Face Book

HOT CROSS BUNS

500g Bread Flour                                              CROSSES 

15g Yeast                                                            2 tbsp Plain Flour

60g Butter                                                         1 tbsp Sugar

40g Sugar                                                          Water to Mix

10g Salt                                                              

1tsp Cinnamon                                                     GLAZE

1/2tsp Nutmeg                                                     1 tbsp Sugar

1/2tsp Cardamom                                                 1 tbsp Water

100g Cinnamon Cranberries                     

250ml Warm Milk

2 Eggs

1 tsp Orange Extract

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and rub in the butter and fresh yeast if your using it.  Now add the warm milk, orange extract and eggs.  Because it is such a sticky dough I start it off in my freestanding mixer using the dough hook.  When it has all come together tip it onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes.  If it sticks to the surface dust your hands with flour till it stops.

It's important that you don't add too much flour so dusting your hands rather than the surface will reduce this.  Remember, the softer your dough, the softer your buns will be - ooh err misses.

Return the dough to a floured bowl and cover with cling film or, GENIUS TIP ALERT! A disposable shower cap - the one's you get free from hotels.

Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour then remove it from the bowl, divide it into 12 pieces and shape into buns.  Put them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, cover with a clean t-towel and leave in a warm place for another hour.

Your buns should be lovely and plump now so mix the batter for the crosses.  You want it pipeable but not so runny it just slides off your buns.  First brush each one with egg wash then pipe on the crosses.  Bake them at 220C for 15-20 minutes.  Keep an eye on them though as sweet bread tends to burn quite easily.

While they are baking warm the sugar and water till the sugar melts.  As soon as they come out of the oven brush the tops with the glaze to give them a gorgeous sticky shine.

GOOD LUCK WITH THE GIVEAWAY 

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

SPRING BAKES & GIVEAWAY - ENDED

Woohoo! it's spring which to me means warmer weather, flowers everywhere and our local school's easter bake sale with lots of pretty cakes.

Here I have a couple of cake recipes to hopefully inspire you to get baking.  You don't have to be raising money with them, maybe you want to make a random bake of kindness for someone or just scoff them yourself.  What ever your reason for baking, have fun.

To help you make your cakes even more special I have a brilliant giveaway for you. Jo from Just Bake is offering a gorgeous array of easter themed decorations including cute iced bunnies and chicks, sugar strands, iced daffodils and easter eggs, she's even throwing in the cake cases, all you need to do is make the cakes.

To Enter:    A) 'Like' my Face Book page and spread the word on Twitter
                  B)  Leave a Comment on the Blog
                  C)  Take a Look at all the lovely cake supplies at Just Bake

You've got until Friday 30th to to enter the giveaway - Good luck

So, now the cakes.  Of course with those great iced bunnies from Just Bake I couldn't resist a carrot slice and   I drew inspiration from the camomile that's just coming up in my front garden to make a camomile cupcake with honey frosting.  The Iced chicks finished them off nicely along with mini eggs and some tiny weenie mini eggs that are now available.

CAMOMILE CUPCAKES with HONEY FROSTING

Makes 12

140g Self Raising Flour
125g Butter
125g Sugar
2 Egg Yolks                        
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
70ml Sour Cream
20ml Milk
2 Camomile Tea Bags

150g Cream Cheese
1 Dsp Runny Honey

Cream the butter and sugar till fluffy.  Beat in the egg and yolks along with the vanilla extract then add the butter. Mix the milk and sour cream together then add this to the mixture.  Cut open the tea bags and stir the contents into your mixture. When all is well combined, divide between cake cases and bake for 25 minutes.  Allow them to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Once the cakes have cooled, mix the cream cheese with the honey and top each cake with the frosting

CARROT SLICE

Makes 12

350g Grated Carrots
200g Light Brown Sugar
225g Self Raising Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Mixed Spice
75g Chopped Nuts
3 Eggs
150ml Sunflower Oil

300g Cream Cheese
1 tbsp Icing Sugar

In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and mixed spice.  In a jug whisk together the eggs and oil then add this to the dry ingredients.  When well combined stir in the carrots and nuts.

Pour the batter into a 9" x 7" lined baking tin and bake for 25-30 minutes at 160C Fan

Once the cake has completely cooled, stir the sugar into the cream cheese top your cake and slice into 12 portions.