This year of all years, we reckon it’s perfectly acceptable to start making your treats early.
There are few enough benefits to the situation we are all in right now, but having the time to perfect our Easter baking is one of them. Try these recipes from Siúcra now, and be ready to gloat – remotely, of course – when you’re showing them off to your friends on Easter Sunday.
Easter chick cupcakes
Makes 12
Ingredients
120g self-raising flour
140g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
40g unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
Zest of one lemon
For the buttercream
400g icing sugar
200g unsalted butter
Juice of one lemon
To decorate
300g ready to roll fondant icing
A few drops each of yellow, red and black food colouring
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake cases.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the self-raising flour, caster sugar, baking powder and butter together until the mixture has a sandy texture.
3. In a jug, whisk the milk, eggs and lemon zest together, then slowly stream into the butter mix to form a smooth batter. Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Once baked allow to cool completely.
4. To make the buttercream, using an electric mixer beat together the icing sugar, softened butter and lemon until light and fluffy. Add a little boiling water to loosen the buttercream if required.
5. Using a piping bag with a star nozzle, pipe a swirl of buttercream on top of each cupcake.
6. To make the chicks, first set aside reserve 30g of the fondant. Knead the yellow food colouring into the remaining fondant until it’s a bright yellow shade.
7. To the 30g fondant, knead in a few drops of red colouring for the beaks, the flowers and feet.
8. Roll out the yellow fondant to about 1cm thick. Use a round cutter to cut 12 circles that are the same size as the cupcakes. Keep the remaining fondant for the wings.
9. Knead and re-roll the fondant. Use a small heart shape cutter to cut out 24 wings. Use a paintbrush and a little water to adhere them to the circles.
10. Roll out the pink fondant to about half a centimetre thick. Cut out 12 small triangles for the beaks. Use the remaining pink fondant to cut out the flowers. Use a little water to stick the beaks to the center of the circle.
11. For the feet, cut out pieces using the same small flower cutter, then cut them in half and use a little water to stick them to the base of the circle. The petals will look like little feet.
12. Use a toothpick or a very fine paint brush to do two dots for eyes just above the beaks. Use a little water to stick a flower to the top edge of each cupcake.
Easter nest cheesecakes
Makes 12
Ingredients,
150g digestive biscuits
20g light golden-brown sugar
50g butter
For the cheesecake filling
360g cream cheese at room temperature
180g caster sugar
4 eggs
40g plain flour
200ml sour cream
1tbsp vanilla extract
50g chocolate chips
For the nests
180g shredded wheat, crushed
150g milk chocolate, melted
36 mini eggs
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake cases.
2. For the base, whizz the biscuits in a food processor until they are roughly crushed, or place in a sealable bag and bash with a rolling pin.
3. Place the crushed biscuits and light golden-brown sugar into a bowl and pour over the melted butter. Stir together until the mixture resembles wet sand.
4. Divide the mix between the cupcake cases and push firmly to form an even base for the cheesecake. Place in the fridge to set while you make the filling.
5. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
6. Stir in the flour, sour cream, vanilla and chocolate chips.
7. Divide the mix between the cupcake cakes. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Remove the cupcake cases.
8. To make the nests, stir together the shredded wheat and the melted chocolate. Spoon on top of each cheesecakes, use the back of a teaspoon to make a small well.
9. Place in the fridge and allow the chocolate to set. Put two to three mini eggs into each nest before serving.
