Easter - eggs, bunnies and more!

Easter is one of my favourite holidays.  I love the traditions that go with it, the food (naturally),  family and friends getting together and sharing time eating, chatting and playing.  Easter eggs started off as birds eggs being painted and traditionally were rolled.  More exotic eggs were given as gifts between members of the Russian royal family which had been created by the famous jeweller Faberge.  Whilst I can't quite stretch - as much as I would like to - to the most exquisite bejewelled gifts, chocolate eggs will do us just fine!

 

As a family we decorate the shells of hardboiled eggs and make an Easter tree on the Easter weekend, then after Easter Monday lunch we find a suitable hill and roll the eggs.  To determine the winner you need to see whose egg goes the furthest, survives the most number of rolls or is rolled between two posts or pegs.  Of course, the Easter Bunny has to come and visit and, weather dependent, hide the eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt in the garden or house.

Easter is a Christian celebration and you can learn more about the traditions in the UK from this wonderful site, by Mandy Barrow, British Life and Culture. 

 Low fat - easy to make and scrummy!

  Low fat recipe - Hot Crossed Buns

recipe by: www.caloriecount.about.com

Ingredients

• 1 pkg dried yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp dried cinnamon
• 3/4 cup warmed skimmed milk
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 2 tbsp canola oil / low fat margarine
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup raisins
  

Paste for Crosses

• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp sugar

Glaze

• 1 tbsp hot water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp all spice
  

Directions

1. In Small Batter Bowl, combine yeast with 1 tbsp sugar and warmed skim milk. Stir until yeast and sugar are totally dissolved. Cover and stand in a warm place for 10 minutes, until bubbly.
2. In another bowl, combine remaining sugar with flour, salt and spices. Rub in margarine, then include the yeast and milk mixture, egg and raisins. Using Small Mix n Scraper mix well, cover the bowl and let mixture rise for 30 miutes in a warm place. Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth.  This mix is quite wet so you may need some additional flour.
3. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and knead pieces into round shapes. Place buns into a well-greased 8" square cake tin. Let rise in a warm place for 10 minutes.
4. Paste for crosses: Mix flour water and sugar. Transfer to a plastic bag, cut the corner and make the crosses. Bake in oven for 15-20minuts at 410F.
5. Glaze: mix all the ingredients in a Small Micro Cooker. Cover over a low heat until dissolved, or place in microwave for 30 seconds on high- stir well. Until the sugar has dissolved while buns are still hot, using the Chefs Silicone Basting Brush, glaze the baked buns.

Makes 8

Cooks tip:  If you double the ingredients you can still use just 1 egg

Gregory's Bear Biscuit - decorated cookie

A big thank you to Miss Lamb at school for teaching Gregory to decorate his bear biscuit beautifully. He had so much fun! (It was yummy too.....)  Check out Miss Lamb's cake creations, she's very clever!

Cookies

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened

• 250g/9oz golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 500g/1lb 2oz plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200g/7oz ready-to-roll fondant icing
• 1 tbsp apricot jam, warmed with 1tsp water

Preparation method

1. Beat together the butter and sugar in a 4lt Stainless Mixing Bowl, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract (measured with Adjustable Measuring Spoons). (If the mixture looks a little curdled, add a spoonful of the flour.) If you’re using food colouring, add a few drops to the mixture.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Stir the flour into the butter mixture and work into a dough using floured hands. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead into a ball (the dough will be quite wet). Divide the dough into two portions, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3..
5. Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on lightly floured work surface. (It’s best to roll out one portion of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder in the fridge.) Cut shapes out with the your favours shaped cutters.
6. Place the cookies onto a Rectangle Stone or Medium Sheet Pan, leaving a gap between them in case they spread a little.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, leave on the tray for 10 minutes and then move to a Stackable Cooling Rack to finish cooling.
8. Once cool, let your imagination go crazy!
9. Using the Bakers Roller, roll the fondant icing out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on a work surface dusted with icing sugar and cut out shapes using the same cutters as the cookies.
10. Using the Chefs Silicone Basting Brush, brush the cookies with the warmed apricot jam and stick the icing onto the cookies.

Molten Camembert Muffins

I love the idea of warm muffins for breakfast and these savoury treats tick all the boxes for me!

MOLTEN CAMEMBERT MUFFINS (March 1 2012)

3 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

1 round (250 g) ripe Camembert cheese (about 10–11 cm in diameter)

250 g plain flour
60 g wheatgerm
65 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated
5 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pot (284 ml) buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
20 g walnut pieces, coarsely chopped

Method:

ð Preheat oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC/Gas 4.

ð Brush wells of Muffin Pan or Stoneware 12 Cup Muffin Pan with sunflower oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush; set aside.

ð Cut rind off sides only of Camembert cheese using Utility Knife (leave rind on top and bottom of cheese); discard rind.

ð Cut trimmed cheese into twelve 2-cm cubes; set aside. Save remaining cheese for another use.

ð Combine flour, wheatgerm, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 4 tablespoons of the snipped chives, the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in Stainless 4-Litre Mixing Bowl; mix well.

ð In Small Batter Bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, milk and remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil; whisk together well using Stainless Whisk.

ð Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®, using as few strokes as possible until just combined. (Mixture will have a slightly lumpy, wet appearance. Do not over-mix.)

ð Using Large Scoop, place one generous scoop of mixture into each well of prepared pan, dividing mixture evenly.

ð Gently press one cube of Camembert cheese into centre of each muffin. Using Small Spreader, spread mixture over cheese cube to cover; sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

ð Bake 15–20 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch.

ð Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; let stand 5 minutes.

ð Carefully remove muffins from pan; sprinkle with remaining snipped chives. Serve warm.

Alternative ideas:

Oak-smoked mature Cheddar cheese, extra mature Cheddar cheese or ripe Brie can be substituted for the Camembert, if desired. These muffins are best eaten warm on the day they are made.

Pampered Chef recipe (Spring/Summer 2012)