easter ... hop to it!!

Hot Cross Bun Truffles

An indulgent Easter treat which makes about 30 truffles.
Ingredients:
  • 200gm milk cooking chocolate, melted
  • ½ cup condensed milk
  • ½ cup unsalted toasted cashews, chopped
  • 1 cup plain sweet biscuits, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup red glace cherries, chopped
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 + 1/4 cups milk chocolate melts
  • 30gm copha
  • 100gm while chocolate, melted

Method:
  1. Combine melted milk cooking chocolate, condensed milk, cashews, biscuits, cherries and cinnamon.  Mix well and refrigerate until firm.
  2. Combine milk chocolate melts and copha in a small bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth.
  3. Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls.  Coat with chocolate copha mixture.  Refrigerate until set.
  4. Pipe crosses over truffles using the melted white chocolate.

SIMPLE Scotch Eggs

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Scotch Eggs are a classic dish traditionally made with good quality sausage meat and served cold.  This is a simple variation using mince.  Delicious served warm with vegies or served cold with a good salad.  Perfect picnic food!!

Makes 6
Preparation + Cooking:  50 minutes + 1 hour refrigeration time
Ingredients:
  • 8 extra large eggs
  • 600gm veal mince
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 1½ tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 + 1/4 cups breadcrumbs
  • Canola oil to deep fry
  • Tomato chutney or relish to serve
Method:
  1. Boil six of the eggs for 8 minutes.  Remove from heat and place in a bowl of iced water to stop cooking process.  If you prefer soft boiled eggs, boil for 4 minutes then place in iced water.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes then peel.
  2. Meanwhile, place the mince, 1 egg, garlic, onion, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, herbs and salt into a large bowl.    Use your hands to mix until well combined.
  3. Divide the mince into six equal portions.  Hold one portion in the palm of your hand and use other hand to flatten.  Place one cooked egg into the centre of the mince.  Shape the mince around the egg and press firmly to seal.  Repeat with other five portions.
  4. Whisk the remaining egg in a bowl.  Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.  Dip the ball in the egg then roll in breadcrumbs to lightly coat.  Repeat, dipping the ball in egg and breadcrumbs to double coat.  Place on a small tray lined with greaseproof paper.  Repeat procedure with other five eggs.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm.
  5. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 160 degrees.  Add half of the Scotch eggs to the oil and cook for about 8 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.  Sprinkle with salt.  Repeat with remaining Scotch eggs.
  6. Serve with tomato chutney or relish.  Enjoy.

Mini Chocolate Mousse meringues

Decadent and Rich.  Thanks to Woolworths Fresh Magazine for the recipe.
Preparation:  30 minutes + chilling time
Ingredients:
  • 400gm milk chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 400ml thickened cream
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/4 cup pure icing sugar
  • 300gm chocolate coated biscuits (I used Chocolate Wheaten)
  • ½ cup almond meal
  • 80gm butter, melted
  • 4 egg whites
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • Extra grated chocolate (I used Flake) and cocoa, to serve

Method:
  1. Place chocolate, cream, cocoa and icing sugar in a saucepan.  Stir over low heat until smooth.  Cool completely.
  2. Spray mini muffin tins with canola oil.  Place biscuits in a food processor and process until soft crumbs.  Add almond meal and butter.  Process until well combined.  Divide mixture evenly between 12 mini muffin tins.  Transfer to fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
  3. Beat chocolate mixture until thick and pale.  Spoon over bases.  Chill for 1 hour, or until firm.
  4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in caster sugar, beating until stiff and glossy.
  5. Transfer cakes to a serving plate.  Top with meringue and brown using a kitchen blowtorch.  To serve, dust with cocoa and sprinkle with crushed chocolate.
Hints:
  • These little gems are very rich so remember to keep them small.  To save time, I made these in regular muffin tins, however, they really were too rich to eat in that size.
  • I found it a little tricky to remove the cakes from the muffin tins.  I suggest cutting little circles of baking paper to line the bases of the muffin tins before adding the biscuit mixture.

DEVILLED EGGS

A retro favourite!!
Ingredients:
  • 8 hard-boiled eggs
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise (or mix of cream and mayonnaise)
  • Salt and pepper to season

Method:
Peel eggs, cut in half lengthways and scoop of yolks. Beat until smooth and stir in mayonnaise (or cream). Flavour as desired and serve on a bed of lettuce.
Variations
Curry:  add 1 tbsp curry paste (or powder)
Chilli:  add 25gm cream cheese, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, pinch turmeric & chopped parsley
Anchovy:  add 2 tsp finely chopped anchovies, 1 tsp lemon juice and black pepper to taste
Olive:  add 50gm chopped pitted olives
Chutney:  add 2 tbs chutney

Also try blue cheese, ginger, fresh herbs, mustard ... the variations are endless.

Chocolate ChickPea Cake with chocolate ganache

For something a little bit different ...
Preparation + cooking:  45 minutes (+ cooling time)
Serves 8
Ingredients:
  • Cooking spray (for greasing)
  • 400gm dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 2 tsp instant coffee granules
  • 2 tbsp boiling water
  • 240gm can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup self raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½​ cup plain yoghurt (or cream)
  • Walnuts, or similar, to garnish
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.  Grease and line a 20cm springform tin.
  2. Melt 200gm of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Combine coffee and boiling water in a small cup then stir into melted chocolate.
  3. Place chickpeas, brown sugar, vanilla essence and olive oil in a food processor and process for about 2 minutes or until smooth.  With the motor running, add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Add the chocolate coffee mixture to chickpea mixture and stir gently to combine.  Stir in flour and baking powder and mix until just combined.  Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cooked through.  Set aside to cool slightly then remove from pan.
  4. To make ganache, melt remaining 200gm chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Stir in yoghurt or cream and mix to combine.  Place in fridge, remembering to stirring frequently, until mixture reaches spreading consistency.
  5. Spread ganache over top of cake and top with walnuts (or your choice of garnish).

Chocolate Fridge Slice

Ingredients:
  • 250gm choc-chip cookies, cut into 2cm pieces
  • ½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
  • ½ cup sultanas, chopped
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • 100g unsalted butter, chopped
  • 180g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 395gm can sweetened condensed milk
  • Cocoa powder, for dusting
  • Chocolate ganache:
  • 120g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 50g unsalted butter, chopped
Method: 
  1. Grease and line base and sides of a 6cm-deep, 19cm (base) square cake pan with baking paper, allowing paper to extend 2cm above edges of pan. Combine cookies, peanuts, sultanas and cocoa in a bowl.
  2. Place butter, chocolate and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Pour over cookie mixture. Stir well to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, pressing with the back of the spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
  3. Make chocolate ganache: Place chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat. Stand for 5 minutes. Spread ganache over slice. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Lift slice from pan. Dust with cocoa powder. Cut into 24 squares. Serve.

chocolate bark

Ingredients:
  • 85gm unsalted pistachios, shelled
  • 400gm dark cooking chocolate
  • 200gm white cooking chocolate
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries (craisins), finely chopped​​

Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Toast pistachios on a lined baking tray for about 3 to 4 minutes.  Melt both chocolates in separate bowls.
  2. Line a biscuit tray with foil.  Spread dark chocolate over base. Drizzle with white chocolate. Swirl with a butter knife to create a marbled effect.  Sprinkle with pistachios and cranberries. 
  3. Refrigerate until set then break into shards.  Serve or package as desired.