Apricot & Almond Chelsea Buns

Escape to the kitchen this weekend and make these gorgeous glazed teatime buns

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 22 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  435

• Protein

  12g

• Carbs

  62g

• Fat

  17g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  19g

• Salt

  0.76g

Ingredients

• For the dough
• 450g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 x 7g sachets easy-blend yeast
• 50g caster sugar
• 150ml warm milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• oil, for greasing
• For the topping
• 25g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 85g dried apricots, finely chopped
• 85g toasted flaked almonds, plus a few extra to decorate
• 25g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp apricot jam

Directions

1. Put the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, 50ml warm water, the beaten egg and the melted butter. Mix everything together to form a dough-start with a wooden spoon and finish with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add a little more warm water; if it's too wet, add more flour.
2. Knead in the bowl or on a floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and springy. Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until roughly doubled in size-this will take about 1 hr depending on how warm the room is.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and grease a deep 21 or 23cm cake tin. Tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few secs. Roll out the dough to a rough 20 x 30cm rectangle. Spread the butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the chopped apricots, almonds and sugar. Roll up firmly like a Swiss roll from one of the long sides-dampening the open edge to help it stick if you need to. Cut into 8 even slices with a sharp knife, shape into 8 round pinwheels, then arrange in the tin, cut-side up. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and prove in a warm place for about 20 mins until roughly doubled in size.
4. Bake the buns for 10 mins, then lower oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cook for 10 mins more until golden brown. Melt the jam with 1 tbsp water, brush all over the buns, then sprinkle with a few more flaked almonds.

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Easy Easter Brioche

This light, easy-to-make brioche will keep for two days, and is delicious with apricot jam.

• Cooking Time Prep 2 hrs, 15 mins - 2 hrs, 15 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6 - 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  365

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  43g

• Fat

  19g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  11g

• Salt

  0.71g

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 100g butter
• 2 rounded tbsp caster sugar
• 7g sachet fast-action yeast
• 3 eggs
• beaten egg yolk, to glaze
• 2-3 sugar cubes, lightly crushed

Directions

1. Tip the flour into a food processor fitted with a plastic kneading blade and add the butter. Process until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar, a good pinch of salt and the yeast.
2. Add the eggs and mix to a soft dough, then knead in the machine for 2 mins. Butter a brioche mould or 2 pt loaf tin. Sprinkle a layer of flour onto a work surface and tip the dough onto it. With floured hands, knead very briefly to form a ball, then drop the dough into the tin, smooth side up. Cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hrs in a warm place.
3. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Brush the top of the brioche with egg yolk, then sprinkle over crushed sugar and bake for 20-25 mins, until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Tip out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
4. No food processor? Simply rub the butter into the flour by hand, stir in the sugar, salt and yeast, then add the eggs and mix to a soft dough. Cover and chill for 20 mins (this makes it easier to handle), then knead on a floured surface for 5 mins. Drop into the tin and carry on as recipe.

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Simnel Spiced Breakfast Loaf

Toast a slice of this celebration bread and top with butter to give hot cross buns a serious run for their money

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  329

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  56g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  19g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• 225g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 350g malted grain bread flour (we used Waitrose own brand), sieved to remove the grains
• 2 x 7g sachets fast-action dried yeast
• 25g golden caster sugar
• 50g dark brown muscovado sugar, plus 1 rounded tbsp
• 1 tbsp mixed spice
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 200ml whole milk
• 50g butter, plus 2 tbsp and extra for greasing
• 2 medium eggs, beaten separately
• 175g raisins

Directions

1. Put each flour into its own mixing bowl and add a sachet of yeast and ½ tsp salt to each bowl. Stir the caster sugar into the white flour, and the muscovado and spices into the brown flour.
2. Put the milk and butter in a small pan and warm gently until the butter has melted. Make a well in the middle of each flour mix and pour half the milk mixture into each. Add 1 egg to each, and mix to a soft, sticky dough-if you have a table-top mixer or food processor with a dough hook, use that to mix, as the dough is quite sticky.
3. Turn each dough onto a lightly floured surface and and knead each for 5 mins until smooth (or knead in your mixer). Put back into their bowls, cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size. Lightly dust a 900g loaf tin with flour.
4. Turn out the doughs and knead each for 30 secs more. Roll out each dough thinly so that its width is the same as the length of the loaf tin, but roll it as long as you can-the longer it is, the more 'swirls' you'll get. Melt the 2 tbsp butter and brush the spicy malted dough all over, then scatter with the raisins and extra 1 tbsp of muscovado sugar. Lift the white dough on top and press together. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter, then roll up from one of the ends that matches the length of the tin. Lift the roll into the tin and cover loosely with oiled cling film. Leave somewhere warm for 20-30 mins until the dough has risen nicely above the top of the tin.
5. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 20 mins, then turn down to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for 20 mins more. Turn out the loaf and check it sounds hollow when tapped on the base-if not, pop back in the tin and bake for another 5 mins. Cool on a wire rack, then slice, toast and butter or eat cold.

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Simnel Muffins

A new twist on a traditional recipe and perfect for getting the kids involved in the festivities

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins - 55 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  465

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  79g

• Fat

  17g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  42g

• Salt

  0.61g

Ingredients

• 250g mixed dried fruits
• grated zest and juice 1 medium orange
• 175g softened butter
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 300g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 tbsp milk
• 175g marzipan
• 200g icing sugar
• 2 tbsp orange juice for mixing
• mini eggs

Directions

1. Tip the fruit into a bowl, add the zest and juice and microwave on medium for 2 minutes (or leave to soak for 1 hour). Line 12 deep muffin tins with paper muffin cases.
2. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ 160C/gas 4. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, spices and milk until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes)-use a wooden spoon or hand held mixer. Stir the fruit in well.
3. Half fill the muffin cases with the mixture. Divide the marzipan into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls, then flatten with your thumb to the size of the muffin cases. Put one into each muffin case and spoon the rest of the mixture over it. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until risen, golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool.
4. Beat together the icing sugar and orange juice to make icing thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Drizzle over the muffins and top with a cluster of eggs. Leave to set. Best eaten within a day of making.

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Boozy Self-Saucing Chocolate Pud

Break through the spongey chocolate topping to reveal a puddle of sauce in this super-simple dessert with Irish cream liqueur

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  572

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  79g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  55g

• Salt

  1g

Ingredients

• 100g butter, melted, plus a little extra for greasing
• 250g self-raising flour
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 50g cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml Irish cream liqueur, plus extra to serve (optional)
• 50ml milk
• 100g milk chocolate, very roughly chopped into chunks
• icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
• single cream, to serve
• For the sauce
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 25g cocoa

Directions

1. Grease a 2-litre baking dish and heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the kettle on. Put the flour, caster sugar, cocoa, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the eggs, butter, liqueur and milk, then pour onto the dry ingredients and mix together until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chunks and scrape everything into the baking dish.
2. To make the sauce, mix 300ml boiling water from the kettle with the sugar and cocoa, then pour all over the pudding batter-don't worry, it will look very strange at this stage! Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 mins until the surface looks firm, risen and crisp. Dust with icing sugar, if you like. Serve straight away-as you scoop spoonfuls into serving bowls, you should find a gorgeous chocolate sauce underneath. Eat with single cream and extra liqueur, if you like.

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Easter Muffins

A treat for the kids

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins - 25 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 9

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  313

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  45g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  23g

• Salt

  0.27g

Ingredients

• 100g butter, softened
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 175g self-raising flour
• 5 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 100g red glacé cherries, cut into quarters
• To decorate
• 85g seedless raspberries jam
• 50g red glacé cherries, cut into quarters
• 2 tbsp toasted desiccated coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C and line a large muffin tray with 9 muffin cases. Tip the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until paler in colour, light and fluffy. Pour in the eggs and beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the flour, milk, vanilla and coconut until you have a soft dropping consistency. Stir in the cherries.
2. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Lift the muffins out of the tray and sit them on a wire rack to cool slightly.
3. To decorate, tip the jam into a small saucepan and gently warm, stirring, until melted and smooth. Generously brush the tops of the warm cakes with the jam, stick the quartered cherries on top and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Serve on the day of making.

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Chocolate Fudge Easter Cakes

A chocolatey tea-time treat that kids will love to help out with

• Cooking Time Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings 16

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  274

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  16g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  25g

• Salt

  0.43g

Ingredients

• Chocolate fudge easter cakes
• 140g soft butter
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 100g self-raising flour
• 25g cocoa, sifted
• For the frosting
• 85g milk chocolate, broken
• 85g soft butter
• 140g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 35g/1½oz packs white chocolate maltesers, mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs We use Fairtrade Divine milk chocolate eggs from Waitrose

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and put 16 gold cases into a fairy-cake tin. Tip all the ingredients for the cake into a mixing bowl and beat for 2 mins with an electric hand-whisk until smooth. Divide between the cases so they are two-thirds filled, then bake for 12-15 mins until risen. Cool on a wire rack.
2. For the frosting, microwave the chocolate on High for 1 min. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the melted chocolate. Spread on the cakes and decorate with Maltesers and chocolate eggs.

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Simnel Tart

A quick Easter tart perfect for friends and family

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 15 mins - 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  713

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  112g

• Fat

  29g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  78g

• Salt

  0.84g

Ingredients

• 200g dried mixed fruits
• zest and juice 1 small orange
• 1 x 375g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (we used Saxby's)
• 3 tbsp apricot jam
• 200g marzipan

Directions

1. Mix the fruit, zest and juice in a bowl. Unroll pastry onto a baking sheet. Mark a border 2cm from the edge with a knife, brush jam over the inside section, then chill for 10 mins.
2. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Drain the fruit, then stir in marzipan. Scatter the fruit mix inside the border. Bake for 20 mins, until pastry is golden. Cut into squares and serve.

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Ginger Simnel Cake With Spring Flowers

As well as the topping, the cake has a hidden layer of homemade marzipan mixed with ginger...

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 30 mins - 1 hr, 45 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  405

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  59g

• Fat

  18g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  25g

• Salt

  0.15g

Ingredients

• For the almond paste
• 200g packet ground almonds
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 50g stem ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cornflour, plus extra for rolling the almond paste
• 1 large egg white
• For the cake
• 100g sultanas
• 100g currants
• 100g raisins
• 50g stem ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tsp tea leaves, or 1 tea bag
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 100g plain flour
• 50g self-raising flour
• 100g butter, softened
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• For the decoration
• 2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed in a microwave or small pan
• icing sugar, for dredging
• sugar-frosted edible wafer flowers
• ribbon, to tie round the cake

Directions

1. Make the almond paste. Tip the ground almonds into a bowl and stir in the caster sugar, ginger and cornflour. Pour in the egg white and work together until you have a smooth paste. Roll into a ball, wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for at least half an hour, to firm up.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C. Line a 7.5cm/3in deep, 18cm/7in round cake tin with non-stick baking parchment. Use two circles for the bottom and two layers of paper for the sides (this will help protect the cake during the long bake).
3. Make the cake. Mix the fruits and stem ginger in a bowl. Put the tea in another bowl, pour over 125ml/4fl oz boiling water and infuse for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid over the fruit, then stir in the golden syrup and ground ginger.
4. Sift together the plain and self-raising flours. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric whisk until the mixture is light in colour and drops softly from the beaters. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, then gently stir in the sifted flours until smooth. Finally, stir in the dried fruits and their liquid.
5. Spoon half the cake mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. Unwrap the almond paste on a surface lightly dusted with cornflour, and roll a third of it into a round to barely cover the surface of the mixture. Lift and place the paste inside the tin and press down to remove any trapped air. Spoon the rest of the cake mixture on top and smooth the surface.
6. Cover the top of the tin with foil, scrunching it lightly at the sides to hold it in place. Bake for 50 minutes, remove the foil and bake for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (replace the foil hat if the cake shows signs of overbrowning during this time). Leave in the tin until completely cold, then remove and strip away the lining paper.
7. For the decoration, put the remaining almond paste on a surface lightly dusted with cornflour and roll into a round that is barely 18cm/7in in diameter. Trim any rough edges using the base of the tin. Brush the jam over the surface of the cake, then press the paste firmly on top, making sure it is centred and even.
8. Preheat the grill until hot. Place the cake on a baking tray and grill until light brown on top, rotating it to make sure it browns evenly. Remove and leave to cool. (You can make up to this stage in advance-wrap the cake in cling film and keep in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. You can freeze the cake for up to 1 month)
9. To finish, put the cake on your prettiest serving plate and sift icing sugar over the almond paste. Decorate with a few sugar-frosted flowers, dust lightly with a little extra icing sugar and tie a ribbon around the cake.

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Frosted White Chocolate Easter Cake

A slice of this Madeira-style cake is wonderful with a morning cup of tea or coffee

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  770

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  76g

• Fat

  50g

• Saturates

  29g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  58g

• Salt

  1.04g

Ingredients

• 250g butter, plus a little extra for greasing
• 140g white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 250ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g self-raising flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 300g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• For the frosting
• 300g tub Philadelphia cheese
• 85g butter, softened
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• mini eggs, to decorate (or use 50g/2oz chopped hazelnuts)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Grease a deep 23cm cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. Place the butter, white chocolate, milk and vanilla extract in a small saucepan, then heat gently, stirring, until melted. Combine the flour, bicarb and sugar in a large bowl with a pinch of salt, then stir in the melted ingredients and eggs until smooth. Pour the batter into the tin, then bake for 1 hr, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin. Once cool, the cake can be wrapped in cling film and foil, then frozen for up to 1 month.
2. To make the frosting, beat together the Philadelphia, butter and icing sugar until smooth. Spread over the cake, then decorate with mini eggs.

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