Ideas for Easter

Easter is a time of bright colours and new flowers so why not try out some of these brilliant recipe ideas :

Easter Nests

You will need
- Shredded Wheat (or similar cereal)
- Cooking chocolate
- Mini eggs

Combine crushed Shredded Wheat with melted chocolate and shape into nest shapes in bun cases. Once the chocolate has set, place 2-3 mini eggs into your chocolate nests.

Hot Cross Buns

You will need

1 lb plain flour
1 level teaspoon caster sugar
1 oz fresh yeast (or 1 level tablespoon dried yeast)
¼ pint lukewarm milk
2 fluid oz warm water
1 level teaspoon each of salt and mixed spice
2 oz caster sugar
2 oz melted butter
1 beaten egg
1 oz currants
1-2 oz chopped mixed peel

Grease and flour two baking trays and preheat oven to 190C. Sift 4 oz of the flour with the sugar. Crumble in the yeast and stir in the milk & water. Leave the mixture in a warm place for 20-30 mins until frothy.

Meanwhile sift the remaining flour with the salt and spice. Add the sugar. Stir the melted butter together with the egg into the risen yeast mixture. Gradually fold in the flour, currants and peel. Knead the dough on a floured surface until perfectly smooth. Divide into 12 pieces and shape into buns. Set the buns well apart on the prepared trays and leave them in a warm place until doubled in size. Make two cuts on the top of each bun to form a cross.

Bake just above the centre of the oven for 15-20 mins. Leave the buns to cool on a wire rack; while still warm brush them with a glaze made from 1½ oz caster sugar dissolved in 2 tablespoons water.

Simnel Cake

You will need

½ lb unsalted butter
Zest of 2 large lemons
½ lb caster sugar
4 large eggs
6 oz chopped mixed peel
6 oz sultanas
1¼ lb currants
14 oz plain flour
Salt
Baking powder
1 level teaspoon mixed spice

For decoration :
4 oz ground almonds
4 oz icing sugar
4 oz caster sugar
1 large egg
Lemon essence
3 teaspoons strained lemon juice
Chocolate eggs
Ribbon

Grease a 9 inch round deep cake tin and line it with greased greaseproof paper. Pre-heat the oven to 160C. Cream together the butter, lemon zest and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the peel and fruit.

Sift the flour with a little salt, a good pinch of baking powder and the spice. Fold this into the creamed mixture. If necessary add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to relax the mixture if it is too thick. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours. Once the cake is cooked, cool it on a wire rack.

Meanwhile mix together the ground almonds and all the sugar. Add half of the lightly beaten egg with a few drops of lemon essence and the strained lemon juice. Knead thoroughly until the almond paste is smooth. Roll out 2/3 of the almond paste and cover the cooled cake with it. Make sure that the cake is completely cool before you start decorating it.

Shape the remaining almond paste into 11 balls - to represent the Apostles, excluding Judas - and set them around the edge of the cake. Tie a ribbon around the side of the cake and decorate the centre of the cake with chocolate eggs.