As promised last month, I have added a few recipes for Easter with those with a sweet tooth in mind. Maybe you gave up chocolate for Lent and are in need of a sugar fix? A quick easy recipe is the Chocolate Marshmallows which my grandchildren love. Even better is the iced chocolate drink which can be prepared earlier and then added to milk to put a nice twist to making a shake. Try putting in fruit as well like strawberries or orange or adding honey. My Banoffee Pie is very simple to make and makes a lovely dessert if you are cooking a nice Easter Roast. Wishing you all a Very Happy Easter and plenty of Easter Eggs.
Buen Apetito
Black and White Pound Cake
65g plain chocolate broken into pieces
50ml strong black coffee
225g butter
225g sugar
5 eggs
225g plain flour
1.25ml vanilla essence
Baking powder (a good pinch)
Melt the chocolate with the coffee in a small pan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Beat the butter until creamy and then add the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time with a little flour if curdling occurs. Add the remaining flour and baking powder. Remove half the mixture and put into baking tin, add the chocolate mixture into the remaining cake mixture and pour into second baking tin. Bake in preheated oven at 180º for 30 minutes or until cooked.
Banoffee Pie
250g digestive biscuits
100g butter
400g dulce de leche (caramel)
2 bananas
300ml whipping cream
2 tbsp grated plain chocolate
Melt the butter gently in a small pan or microwave. Peel and slice the bananas. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Place the biscuits into a strong food bag and crush with a rolling pin. Alternatively put in a food processor and pulse until finely crumbed. Transfer crumbs to a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter. Place the crumb mixture into a lightly greased 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin and press down with your fingers around the edges and along the sides. Place in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes. Spoon the dulce de leche over the biscuit crumb base. Cover the caramel with a layer of sliced bananas. Spoon the whipped cream on top of the layer of bananas and grate over the chocolate. Serve immediately or chill for around 30 minutes more in the fridge.
Chocolate Marshmallows
A packet of marshmallows
150g chocolate
A packet of cocktail sticks
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, stirring. When the chocolate is runny without lumps, take a marshmallow and put a cocktail stick into the top. Dip it into the chocolate and coat all over. Place on a kitchen towel and allow setting. Decorating with hundreds and thousands can be done when the chocolate is still wet. Fruit can also be used instead of marshmallows.
Chocolate Angel Food
25g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
120g caster sugar
5 egg whites
Pinch of salt
2.5ml cream of tartar
Chocolate ice cream or cream to serve.
Whisk egg whites with the salt in a mixing bowl until foamy and add cream of tartar. Whisk until forming peaks and then add the sugar until glossy and firm. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and fold in. Pour immediately into a tin and bake at 180º for 30-40 minutes.
Iced Chocolate Drink
175g sugar
200ml water
40g cocoa powder
Milk
Place the sugar and water in a heavy pan and stir over heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes on a high heat and then remove from the stove. Add the cocoa and stir well returning to the heat for another minute. Leave the syrup to cool and then refrigerate. Add one 15ml spoon of chilled syrup to every half pint of milk and stir. Serve immediately.
Banana and Strawberry Honey Crisp
75g oats
25g caster sugar
25g butter
I lemon
1 tbsp orange blossom honey
225g strawberries hulled and halved
4 medium bananas peeled and thickly sliced
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
Sprinkle oats over a baking sheet and scatter with sugar. Dot with butter and then drizzle over the honey. Place in oven 190ºC for around 10 minutes or until toasted. Remove and allow to cool. Place the strawberries and bananas in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Top with Greek yogurt and finish with a scattering of crumbled honey crisp oats.