With the holiday season just around the corner and the chocolate goodies piling up you may feel under pressure to forge. But fear not, here’s how to enjoy your Easter treats at your leisure with three of our favourite recipes.
Easy Easter brownies
Ingredients:
175g butter, plus extra for greasing
200g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
225g light soft brown sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
100g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease a 20cm baking tin and line with non-stick baking paper.
Put the butter and 150g chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium power for 1 min.
Stir the mixture, then continue to heat in 20-sec bursts, until the mixture has melted. Remove and set aside to cool a little.
Put the sugar, eggs and vanilla (if using) in a separate bowl and briefly whisk to combine. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift in the flour and cocoa, then you can add the remaining chocolate and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 mins, until a thin crust forms on the surface with a slight wobble.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Easter egg nests
Ingredients
100g Shredded Wheat/corn flakes/ Frosties or another alternative
250g milk chocolate
2tbsp golden syrup
75g butter, softened
1 x 100g bag of Mini Eggs
Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.
Melt the milk chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a small glass bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
Stir regularly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is completely melted and glossy with no lumps.
Break up the Shredded Wheat into small pieces in a large bowl using your hands.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl with the Shredded Wheat and mix with the wooden spoon until all the Shredded Wheat is covered in the melted chocolate.
Spoon the mixture into the 12 cases, dividing evenly. Use your index finger to create a well in the centre of each nest.
Add a few Mini Eggs to each nest.
Leave to cool and in the fridge for 2 hrs.
No-bake Easter rocky road
Ingredients
225g chocolate
100g unsalted butter
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp golden syrup
100g rich tea biscuits
50g mini marshmallows
50g dried cranberries
200g chocolate mini eggs
Line a 20 x 30cm traybake tin with cling film.
Put the chocolate and butter in a large bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, and melt until smooth and glossy.
Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder and golden syrup. Mix together until fully combined and leave to cool at room temperature for about 15 mins.
Put the biscuits in a freezer bag and use a rolling pin to bash them, leaving some pieces chunkier than others. Stir into the cooled chocolate with the marshmallows, cranberries and 150g of the mini eggs.
Pour the mix into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon until even. Scatter over the remaining mini eggs, pressing them in a little, and leave to set in the fridge for 1 hr.
SOURCE
