Bank Holiday Baking: These Easter recipes are simply divine
There's nothing that gets me more in the Easter spirit than baking does. There's something about all that chocolate lying around the place, the hour changing, the (slowly) improving temperatures that just makes me want to grab the nearest cookbook and make something sweet!
It's also really fun to make things that are super festive too – and we're here to help with that! We've searched for the cutest Easter baking recipes for you to recreate so your Easter table can look as festive and adorable as possible. Browse below for some inspo!
@gills_bakesandcakes
We are more than slightly obsessed with DIT graduate Gillian's page. Her recipes are not only super fun to look at but also taste amazing, as can be accredited by her 38,000+ followers! If you like this you should check out her page and see the incredible creations she comes us with – amazing stuff!
You’ll need…
- Baking tray
- Baking paper
- Electric whisk
- Bowls
- Spatula
- 8×8 Tin
- 115g unsalted Butter
- 100g light brown sugar
- 60g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 260g plain flour
- 1/2tsp baking soda
- 1/2tsp baking powder
- 1/2tsp salt
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 200g Mini Eggs broken up
- 150g milk chocolate chips
- Decoration (Optional)
- 30g white chocolate
- More mini eggs
Preheat your oven to 190C/ 170C Fan. Grease and line a 8×8 square tin.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla and egg and combine.
Sieve in flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix in dry ingredients.
Fold in chocolate chips and mini eggs very lightly. Place the mixture into your lined dish and flatten down.
Bake for 19-21 minutes. Mine was perfect and slightly gooey at 20 minutes. If you are using a bigger baking tray reduce your cooking time.
Leave to cool completely before cutting up into 9 portions.
Melt your white chocolate and drizzle over your portions. Place some crushed and whole mini eggs on top.
Leave to set and enjoy!!
@janespatisserie
Love millionaire's shortbread as much as we do? Then Jane's recipe is the one for you! Starring Mini Eggs as a tribute to Easter once again, this recipe and it's homemade caramel has our mouths absolutely watering. Check it out below!
You’ll need….
- Shortbread
- 200g unsalted butter
- 100g caster sugar
- 275g plain flour
- 150g Mini Eggs (crushed)
- Caramel
- 200g unsalted butter
- 3tbsp caster sugar
- 4tbsp golden syrup
- 397g condensed milk (one tin)
- Decoration
- 300g Cadbury's milk chocolate
- 150g Mini Eggs (crushed)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan, and line a 9×9" deep square tin with parchment paper.
Cream together your Butter and Sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Add in the Flour and beat again till a biscuit dough is formed!
Fold through/press in the Crushed Mini Eggs and then press into the bottom of the tin.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top.
Once baked, leave to cool on the side, but still in the tin.
In a large heavy based saucepan, add your Butter, Sugar, Golden Syrup and Condensed Milk and melt on a medium heat till everything is melted and dissolved.
Once melted, turn the heat up to a medium/high heat and boil the mixture for 5-7 minutes, or until its turned a dark golden colour. Stir constantly so it doesn't catch – and use a spatula so the bottom of the pan is scraped. Be careful, the mixture is VERY hot.
Pour the Caramel over the Shortbread and leave to set for an hour in the fridge. (or 2-3 hours on the side)
Once set, melt your chocolate carefully till smooth, and pour over the Caramel.
Sprinkle on the Mini Eggs, and leave to set in the fridge for 1-2 hours until solid. Alternatively, leave till set on the side – can take a few hours. Once set, cut up into your pieces and enjoy!
@themissiondietitian
Kaitlin is a gut health dietician and is always sharing recipes and tips for replacing our usual baking staples with gut-healthy alternatives! If you're looking for something a little lighter this Easter, this adorable nest recipe she shared is the perfect idea to try out!
You'll need…
Ingredients
- 1tbsp butter (melted)
- 2 mashed bananas
- 150g jumbo oats
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 1tbsp maple syrup
- 60g sunflower and pumpkin seeds
- Toppings: yoghurt, raspberry, mini eggs
Method
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
Mix the melted butter, mashed bananas, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
Next add in the oats and seeds.
Using your hands, mould balls of the mixture into nest shapes and place onto a baking tray. Cook for 20 minutes (until golden brown).
Once cooled, place a spoon of yoghurt into the nest and top with any other toppings you fancy! Sprinkle on the Mini Eggs, and leave to set in the fridge for 1-2 hours until solid. Alternatively, leave till set on the side – can take a few hours. Once set, cut up into your pieces and enjoy!
@thesweetbalance
Kim is a food photographer and recipe developer and her page is a colourful creation that totally reflects her expertise. Her almond cookie nest recipe is a new take on the Easter recipe, moving away from the traditional chocolate for a lighter but equally as tasty dessert!
You'll need…
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 100g ground almonds
- 1/2tsp baking soda
- 1/4tsp salt
- 170g almond butter
- 170g butter, room temperature
- 50g granulated sugar
- 100g light brown sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1tsp almond extract
- 100g white chocolate, chopped
- 2tbsp flavourless oil
- 1 pack Cadbury mini eggs
Instructions
Whip the butter with the almond butter until fluffy. Add both sugars and keep whipping. Pour in the eggs and extracts and fold.
In a separate bowl, sift and whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet mixture with the dry ingredients thoroughly.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°c / 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a triple layer of parchment paper.
Use a large ice cream scoop to measure out each cookie. Transfer directly from the scoop to the sheet. Do not re-shape or roll in your hands. Place each cookie 5cm / 2" apart as they will spread and flatten out.
Bake for 22-25 minutes. They will continue to crisp as they cool. While still hot, gently press down with a honey dipper or similar shaped tool to make the thumbprint indents. Let cool on a cooling rack.
Melt the white chocolate. Pour in the oil and stir well. Use gel food colouring to colour them as desired. (optional)
Fill the thumbprints with melted white chocolate. Let cool slightly. Place the Cadbury mini eggs in the white chocolate.
Enjoy!
@thebakingexplorer
This no-bake Creme Egg cheesecake is peak Easter indulgence and we're not mad about it! The biscuit base and creamy layers are exactly what we need this weekend! The perfect dessert for after your Easter dinner, it's super easy to make!
You’ll need…
Biscuit base
- 300g Digestive biscuits
- 125g butter or baking spread melted
- 1tbsp cocoa powder
For the filling
- 750g full fat cream cheese
- 125g icing sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 300ml double cream
- Orange food colouring
For chocolate ganache
- 50g dark chocolate
- 50g double cream
- For the decoration
- 250ml double cream
- 1tbsp icing sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Chocolate strand sprinkles
- 6 Creme Eggs cut in half
Instructions
To make the base use a food processor to whizz up the biscuits into crumbs, or bash them with a rolling pin in a bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder.
Mix in the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of a 23cm springform tin. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
For the cheesecake filling use a food mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand whisk to mix together the cream cheese, vanilla extract and icing sugar until smooth with no lumps.
Add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it's shape.
Split the filling mixture in half and colour one with the orange food colouring.
Smooth the orange mixture into the tin on top of the biscuit base, then smooth the white uncoloured filling on top of that. Put it in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours, to set.
Remove from the tin and put on your serving plate. Smooth the sides with a butter knife to create a neater finish.
Whip up the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla, and pipe it all around the edges of the cheesecake.
To make the dark chocolate ganache chocolate, put the ingredients into a bowl and microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. Continue microwaving in 10 second blasts, stirring between each blast, until melted and smooth.
Pour the ganache into the centre of the cheesecake and add the sprinkles.
Place the Creme Egg halves on top of the cream all around the edge of the cheesecake.
Serve immediately, store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
