HAPPY EASTER

Ufff, I made it.... Just in time :D I hope you're going to enjoy this few recipes I prepared for you. I like Easter, there is less pressure that during Christmas,no hassle, no fuss, but still the same amount of enjoyment in terms of friends, family and delicious food.And it's a HOLIDAY :) :) :)
What are your plans for Easter? Are you planning to spend it with your family or friends?Are you going to cook all day long or take it easy and relax? Me and my husband are planing to relax, go away for a day, maybe two.Such a lazy Easter I'm dreaming about :)

I wish you all a very HAPPY EASTER! :D

 

Lets start with eggs.....BAKED EGGS.

RECIPE:

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 eggs

100g asparagus, boiled or steamed

150g salmon, baked or steamed

1 tbsp dill 

salt, pepper, freshly ground

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5

2. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add asparagus,roughly chopped  and chunky flakes of salmon.Season with salt and pepper. Pour into 4 individual ramekins.(previously greased with butter)

3.Bake for 20-25 minutes .

Have a salad....POTATO SALAD

RECIPE:

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

800g new potatoes, cooked

250g radish,cut in halves

1 red onion, finely chopped

handful of chives, chopped

1 tbsp dill, chopped

salt, pepper, freshly ground

METHOD:

1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl, mix.JOB DONE :)

Easter can't be without buns....HOT CROSS BUNS

 

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

300 ml milk
100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
50g clear honey
2 medium free-range eggs
150ml warm water
15g fresh yeast or 7g sachet fast- action yeast(go for FRESH!)
beans from 1 vanilla pod
2 tbsp grated peel of fresh orange, unwaxed
150g dried apricots, chopped
175g sultanas
175g currants
3 tsp ground mixed spice
800g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
Vegetable oil for greasing and (optional) kneading

No chopped mixed peel? In all traditional recipes you will find this ingredient on the list, I decided to omit it because I couldn't find the chopped mixed peel in the shop without all this strange, unpronounceable additives so decided to go without it.Next year I'll look harder or make my own :)

For the crosses

75g strong white flour
Juice of 1/4 lemon
75-100ml water

For the spiced glaze

  40g caster sugar
2 tbsp clear honey
½ tsp ground mixed spice
75ml fresh orange juice 

Additionally:

1yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp milk

 METHOD: 

1. Crumble fresh yeast(or add dry) in a big bowl, sprinkle it with sugar.Warm the milk in a saucepan,pour over the yeast and add 4 tbsp of flour.Mix. Leave it for around 10 min covered with a cotton tea towel until foamy.
2. Add honey, butter,eggs,vanilla and warm water, then whisk to combine. Stir in the dried fruit and orange peel, then the mixed spice.Add the 800g flour,mix with a wooden spoon, then mix together with your hands to form a soft, sticky dough. If the dough feels firm, add a splash more water. Cover the bowl with a tea towel, then set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil or flour the worktop, then turn out the dough and give it a quick knead (about 10 seconds). Put it back in the bowl and re-cover, then leave in a warm, draft-free place for 90 minutes. Give it another quick knead halfway through.
4. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Cut the dough into 12 x 180g pieces. Pat each piece flat, pull the edges into the centre to round the shape, then turn over and shape into a smooth ball. Put each bun rough side down on the sheet, then cover and leave to rise somewhere warm and draft-free for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size. Sit the buns close together but not touching; as they’ll expand as they rise so their edges fit snugly together.
5. When the buns are almost ready, heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. For the crosses, beat the ingredients in a mixing bowl to make a thick but pipeable batter. Leave for 10 minutes, then spoon into a piping bag and set aside. 
6. Brush the risen buns with the beaten yolk and milk mixture, then pipe crosses over the top.
   Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
7. Meanwhile, put the spiced glaze ingredients in a pan and boil to a thick syrup. Remove the buns from the oven, then brush with the glaze while hot. Cool on wire racks.
   
   Enjoy warm with butter

Sweeten it up with....RHUBARB AND PINEAPPLE TART

 

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

PASTRY:

300 g plain flour

3 tbsp icing sugar

185 g butter,cold
8 tbsp cold water

FILLING:

240g rhubarb, chopped

160g fresh pineapple,chopped 

4-5 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp corn flour

seeds from 1 vanilla pod

ADDITIONALLY: 

one egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp milk to brush over the top

 

METHOD:

1.Sift the flour into a medium bowl,add salt and butter.Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips.Now add yolk and water and combine together using hands.If the mixture feels too crumbly  add some more water.Divide into two balls,bigger for bottom and edges and smaller for top, flatten them into discs,wrap with cling film and put in the fridge for 1 hour.

2.Preheat the oven to 190C/170C/Gas 5.
In the meantime place rhubarb and pineapple in a bowl.Add sugar, vanilla beans,flour and mix together.

3. Take the pastry out(bigger first) the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a round baking tin greased slightly with butter to cover the bottom and the edges. Top it up with fruit filling. Roll out the other part of the pastry and cut it into strips, around 1 cm thick(they should be longer than the edges of the tart and start to make the woven lattice pattern over the mixture, leave the strips hanging over the edge of the tin. Once the lattice is in place, use the tin edge to cut off the strips by pressing down with your hands, creating a neat finish.

4. Brush it over with egg and milk mixture and bake for 45 minutes.