Easter recipe ideas Chocolate Nests

Children will love helping you to make these too — what a great Bank Holiday family activity!

Chocolate nests with tiny eggs

Ingredients

• 3 Weetabix, crumbled or Rice Krispies
• 100g chocolate
• Chocolate mini eggs
• you will also need
• Patty or muffin tin
• Paper cake or muffin cases (10 to 20 depending how big you make the nests)

Method

1. Place the paper cases in the tin.
2. Melt the chocolate and stir into the crumbled cereal.
3. Put a spoonful of the mixture into each case and shape with the spoon into a rough ‘nest’ shape.
4. Leave to cool and set (in the fridge is fastest). Then place two or three mini eggs in each nest.

Italian Easter bread

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup warm milk
• 2 tbsps butter, softened
• 7 eggs
• ½ cup mixed candied fruit, chopped
• ¼ cup blanched almonds, chopped
• ½ tsp anise seed
• vegetable oil

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add milk and butter; and beat for 2 minutes on medium.
2. Add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat for two minutes on high.
3. Stir in fruit, nuts and aniseed and mix well.
4. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth for 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
5. Punch dough down. Divide in half; roll each piece into a 60cm rope. Loosely twist ropes together; place on a greased baking sheet and form into a ring. Pinch ends together. Gently split ropes and tuck eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.