Easter Milkshakes

So did not update last week and thought I would give you two Easter treats. I love a milkshake sweet and delectable. You can put anything. There are two (yes, two recipes) that are Easter themed. Super yummy.

Serves 2

Creme Egg Milkshake

3 Creme Eggs, chopped
4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
500ml Whole Milk

Topping
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Sauce
1 Creme Egg cut in quarter (optional)

1. In a blender, blend the creme eggs, ice cream and whole milk. Should be combined.

2. Around a glass squirt chocolate around the rim of the glass so it drips round the glass. Pour in the milkshake, then squirt the whipped cream, top with 2 quarters of creme egg and squirt a bit of chocolate sauce.

Malteaster Bunny Milkshake

3 Malteaser Bunnies, chopped
4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
500ml Whole Milk

Topping
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Sauce
2 Mini Malteser Bunnies (optional)

1. In a blender, blend the malteaser bunnies, ice cream and whole milk. Should be combined.

2. Around a glass squirt chocolate around the rim of the glass so it drips round the glass. Pour in the milkshake, then squirt the whipped cream, top with a mini malteaser bunny and squirt a bit of chocolate sauce.

Mini Egg Tiffin

So I have tried some Tiffin and thought, I need to get in on this game. So I was browsing the aisle and thought why not Mini Eggs (or Sugar shelled chocolate eggs, just in case legal gets involved). But here is my recipe and you can make it whenever you like because they put out the Easter stuff just after Christmas so there are plenty of Mini Eggs to go around. Doesn't require the oven.

Makes 12 Pieces of Tiffin

100g Unsalted Butter
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
175g Milk Chocolate
180g Mini Eggs, smashed up into pieces
200g Chocolate Digestives, lightly crushed

Topping
200g Milk Chocolate
90g Mini Eggs, lightly smashed (so a few pieces have some big chunks)

1. Grease a 20cm Square cake tin.

2. Melt butter, golden syrup and chocolate over a low heat. Mix until combined and all melted. Then add the biscuits and smashed mini eggs to the mixture, give a good stir and remove off the heat. Tip in the tin and press down. Leave ti chill for about half an hour.

3. Just before the biscuit base has cooled, melt the milk chocolate  over a bain marie. Once melted tip over the biscuit base and spread over evenly. Then sprinkle over with the mini eggs evenly then leave to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares.

Simnel Cake

A light fruit cake served traditionally around Easter. Hope you are sitting comfortably, time for a religion lesson (fun, right?!?!). Traditionally the number of balls on top of a simnel cake represents Jesus 12 apostles minus Judas. Some have 12 balls of marzipan to include Jesus with his apostles minus Judas. Lesson over, time for cake.

Makes 1 Cake

Cake Mixture
500g Dried Mixed Fruit (must include candied peel)
100g Glace Cherries, halved
200g Butter
200g Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Mixed Spice
5cl Cointreau
Juice and zest of a lemon
3 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
50g Ground Almonds

Topping
500g Ready Roll Marzipan
2-3 tbsp Apricot Jam
Icing Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 170c/150c Fan assisted. Line a 20cm Cake tin with greaseproof paper. Cream butter and sugar together. It should be well combined. Then gradually add the eggs till its all mixed together and a runny consistency.

2.Then add the Cointreau, juice and zest of a lemon, dried mixed fruit and cherries, mix well. Add the flour, ground almonds and mixed spice and again mix well. It should be of a thicker consistency. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 mins. Test the cake by poking a toothpick through the centre. When pulled out it should be clean. If not put in for 5 minute intervals until baked through, Leave to cool on a wire rack.

3. For the topping, cut 2/3 of the block. Dust the surface with icing sugar and roll the portion out and cut into a circle. With the remaining marzipan make into 12 balls (I made one bigger to put in the centre). Warm the apricot jam in a pan on the hob. Base the cake with the apricot jam and apply the rolled out marzipan. Then dab each ball with apricot jam and arrange on top of the marzipan.

4. Preheat the grill and put the cake under for 5 - 6 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Hot Cross Bun Pudding (V)

A lovely Easter Sunday pudding. A variation of the classic bread and butter pudding with a few added extras. Either save time by buying the hot cross buns from the shop or go the extra mile and make them from scratch.

Serves 6

6 Hot cross buns
75g Caster Sugar
2 Handfuls of Sultans
2 handfuls of apricots, chopped
150g Marzipan
3 Eggs
250ml Double Cream
400ml Whole Milk
1 Vanilla Pod
Butter, to spread on the buns
Marmalade, to spread on the buns

1. Cut each bun in half and spread on butter and marmalade. Put into a large shallow oven proof dish.

2. On the hob heat the milk, cream and the vanilla pod for about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl mix the eggs and sugar together. Then mix the cream and egg mixture together.

3. Add the apricots, marzipan and sultanas to the dish. Then pour the cream mixture over the the hot cross buns and leave to the side for 10 minutes.

4. Put in the oven for about 40 minutes at 200/180 fan assisted. Serve