Page 15

Focus Spring 2016

Page 15

Buttercream icing
250g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
600g icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Decoration
1 tube black decorating icing
30 marshmallows, cut in half
lengthways
Pink decorating sugar
Chocolate buttons or Smarties

Ingredients

Method

EASTER BUNNY CAKES

CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS BUNS

Everyone will adore these little lemony Easter cakes!
You can make your own cupcakes, or use shop-bought and
get straight to decorating

Ingredients

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4.

Line a muffin tin with paper cases.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at
a time. Add lemon zest and vanilla; mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, bicarb, baking powder
and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with soured
cream (cakemixture will be thick). Fill muffin cups with 4
tablespoons of cake mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for
25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted near the centre
comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks
to cool completely.

Meanwhile make the icing: In a large bowl, cream together
the butter and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, a quarter at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and
continue mixing until light and fluffy.

Take the marshmallow halves and place them on a clean
surface, cut side down. Spread a little bit of icing over the
top of each. Then sprinkle with the pink decorating sugar.
These are your ears.

When the cakes are cool, spread an even layer of icing over
each. Then take the prepared marshmallow halves and
carefully place two on each cake to make the ears. Finally,
make the face by putting a choc button or Smartie in the
middle for a nose, and then drawing eyes and whiskers with
the black decorating icing.

Easter cakes
250g butter, softened
350g sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
450g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
450ml soured cream

Makes

Prep:25min Cook:25min Extra time:50min Ready in:1hr40min

Flecked with dark chocolate, cinnamon, orange zest
and plump raisins, these buns make an extra-special
Easter treat!

zest and juice 1 large orange
sunflower oil, for greasing

For the dough and crosses

225ml semi-skimmed milk
50g unsalted butter, plus extra
for greasing
1 large egg
450g strong white bread flour,
plus extra for dusting

2 tsp fast-action yeast

50g golden caster sugar

For the flavouring and
glaze

140g raisins
100g chocolate,
70% cocoa solids
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp golden caster sugar
100g plain flour

Makes

Prep:40min Cook:20-25 mins plus rising and proving

Make the dough first. Heat the milk in a pan until steaming.
Remove from the heat, and drop in the butter. After a couple of
mins, beat in the egg and half the orange zest. The liquid should be
just warm for step 2.
Mix the strong flour, yeast, 1 tsp salt and the sugar in a large bowl,
then tip in the liquid and stir to make a soft dough. Flour the work
surface and hands. Knead dough for 5-10 mins until smooth and
elastic. Oil a large bowl, place dough inside and cover with oiled
cling film. Rise in a warm place for about 1 hr or until doubled in
size.
Put raisins and half the orange juice in a small pan and heat. Cool
completely. Break chocolate and finely chop with the cinnamon
and 2 tbsp sugar. Mix in rest of zest and the other ingredients.
Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface and press it out to a
large rectangle. Scatter evenly with the chocolate mix and raisins,
which should have absorbed all of the juice (drain them if not).
Roll the dough up around the filling, then knead it well for a few
mins until the chocolate and fruit are evenly spread.
Grease and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape, making underneath of ball
smooth as you can. Place buns, smooth-side up, onto baking sheet,
leaving room for rising. Cover loosely with oiled cling film and
prove in a warm place for 30-45 mins or until the dough has risen
and doesn’t spring back quickly when prodded gently.
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. To make the paste for the
crosses, gradually stir 6-7 tbsp water into the plain flour to make a
smooth, thick paste, then put in a food bag and snip off the end to
about 5mm. Pipe the crosses, then bake for 20-25 mins until the
buns are risen and dark golden brown.
Mix the rest of the orange juice with the remaining sugar and let it
dissolve. Brush the syrup over the buns while they are hot, then
leave to cool. Eat on the day of baking, or toast the next day.