Baking Easter Gifts

Easter is the soul’s first taste of spring.

Richelle E. Goodrich

I can’t believe it’s Easter next weekend, it doesn’t feel like five minutes ago I was pulling Christmas crackers! I think it’s a sign of aging but let’s just brush over that for now! I have a few days off next week so, I’ll spend some time baking as I always do at Easter, firstly because I love baking but secondly, I love making Easter treats as gifts for friends. Below are two recipes that really lend themselves to gifting!

Mini Creme Egg Brownies

This brownie recipe produces in the most deliciously fudgy and gooey little squares you can imagine! To make them, pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) or gas mark 4, then line and grease a 9” x 9” (23 x 23cm) brownie tin.

First melt the chocolate, butter and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Mix until all the ingredients are fully melted. Remove from the pan and put aside to cool. In a stand mixer put the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract and with a whisk attachment mix until light and fluffy.

Whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture until fully combined. Add the flour and fold in gently until all the flour is combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Half the Mini Crème Eggs and lay them on top, sunny side up!

Then bake! They should have a slight wobble in the middle! Do not be tempted to bake for more than 25 minutes or you will have dry cake like brownies. When they are completely cool you will be able to cut it into squares and enjoy!

Servings: 12

Baking time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

175g Dark chocolate
175g Cubed unsalted butter
30g Cocoa powder
3 Large eggs
225g Soft brown sugar
195g Plain flour
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Bag of mini creme eggs halved

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) or gas mark 4
Line and grease a 10 x 8 inch (25 x 20cm) brownie tin.
Melt chocolate, butter and cocoa powder in a Bain Marie until all the ingredients are melted and combined. Set aside to cool.
Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg mixture and whisk until totally combined.
Fold in the flour keeping as much air in the mixture as you can.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin and arrange the mini creme eggs randomly on top of the batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
When they are completely cool cut them into squares and enjoy.

Easter Mini Egg Mini Muffins

When I was in my local kitchenware store, I came across the cutest muffin cases and decided to do something with them. I decided on chocolate cake topped with vanilla buttercream and mini chocolate eggs. They make really cute presents for friends or family and kids love them too!

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) and put the mini muffin cases in the mini muffin tin. Put all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl then make a well in the middle and add all the wet ingredients.

Either with the whisk attachment or with a hand whisk, mix all the ingredients together until the batter is smooth. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases to just below the level of the tin. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin.

To make the buttercream put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until light and fluffy. Next add the sieved icing sugar and whisk again. Add the vanilla and enough milk to make the buttercream smooth and easy to pipe.

Put the buttercream in a piping bag with a star nozzle. Starting at the outside and working inwards pipe the buttercream and decorate with eggs or other Easter confectionery. Alternatively, if you don’t want to have a go at piping, simply spread the buttercream on with a pallet knife and make peaks.

Servings: 24

Baking time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake

100g Plain Flour
1Tbsp Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
75g Caster sugar
20g Golden syrup
1 Large egg
75ml Vegetable oil
75ml Milk

Icing

150g Soft unsalted butter
300g Sieved icing sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
Drop of milk if required
Mini Chocolate eggs

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan).
Put the mini muffin cases in the mini muffin tin.
Put all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl.
Make a well in the middle and add all the wet ingredients.
Either with the whisk attachment or with a hand whisk, mix all the ingredients together until the batter is smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases to just below the level of the tin.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12 minutes.
To make the buttercream put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until light and fluffy.
Next add the sieved icing sugar and whisk again.
Add the vanilla and enough milk to make the buttercream smooth and easy to pipe.
Put the buttercream in a piping bag with a star nozzle.
Starting at the outside and working inwards pipe the buttercream and decorate with eggs or other Easter confectionery.