Delicious chocolate recipes to use up leftover Easter eggs
The very idea of leftover Easter chocolate may seem ludicrous. But if the children have been inundated with eggs, make these amazing treats to get you through the rest of the holidays.
Creme egg chocolate fondant
This pudding is so much better than your wildest imaginings. You won’t regret it (unless you have more than one.)
Makes: 2
Ingredients
60g unsalted butter
100g dark chocolate
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
25g caster sugar
12g plain flour
2 creme eggs
Icing sugar, to dust
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease two 175ml pudding dishes, and dust with icing sugar, shaking to distribute.
2. Place a clean, dry bowl over a pan half full of simmering water. In it, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring to combine. Allow to cool.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and egg yolk with the caster sugar, until fluffy. Fold in the cooled chocolate mix very lightly, until thoroughly combined.
4. Sift over the flour and fold in with a metal spoon, keeping the air in.
5. Coat the base of each dish with mixture, then place the creme eggs on top, lengthways. Fill dishes to top with the remaining mix.
6. Place dishes on a baking tray, and bake for exactly 12 minutes. Remove, allow to stand for one more minute. Turn onto a plate, dust with icing sugar, cut open, and feel the thrill.
Read more: Easy cake recipes: From choc chip banana bread to pineapple upside down cake
Mini egg cookies
You can make fewer of them and have enormous US-style cookies, but these are the perfect size to enjoy with a cup of tea.
Makes: 24 (or 12 giant ones)
Ingredients
100g caster sugar
165g demerara sugar
1/2 tsp salt
120g butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla paste
150g plain flour
200g chocolate mini eggs, half broken up
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Place the sugars, salt and butter in a large bowl, and whisk until soft and creamed.
2. Add the egg and vanilla paste and beat in until the mixture forms ribbons when you lift the whisk.
3. Sieve in the plain flour and fold through the mix. Add the broken mini eggs and stir through. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper. Scoop out one tablespoon per cookie, spacing well apart, and top some with a whole mini egg.
5. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove when they’re still soft, and let them cool and harden on the tray.
Watch: This slow-cooker hot chocolate recipe is what dreams are made of
Millionegg shortbread
It’s not low calorie, let’s be honest. But it really is a golden Wonka ticket of a treat.
Makes: 9 squares
Ingredients
125g plain flour
40g caster sugar
90g butter
For the caramel
50g butter
50g Muscovado sugar
200ml condensed milk
For the topping
50g milk or dark chocolate, broken up
80g pack of gold-dusted mini eggs.
Method
1. Grease and line a 10” x 10” (25.4cm) tin with baking paper. If you don’t have the right sized tin, line a larger one and make a rim with foil.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour and sugar, and rub in the butter gradually until a soft dough forms. Press into the tin, flatten the top, and bake for 20 minutes until golden.
3. Let it cool in the tin. Make the caramel – add the ingredients to a small, non-stick pan over medium heat, and stir continually. Bring to the boil, then lower heat, stirring, until you have a thick caramel. Note, bits of sugar will solidify – sieve these out if you prefer.
4. Spread the caramel over the shortbread, and leave to set.
5. For the topping, melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave. Spread over the cooled caramel, and top with halved golden eggs. Leave to cool before cutting into squares.
Read more: Easy recipes for picnic food: Raspberry crumble flapjacks and Cornish pasties
Chocolate cupcake nests
These are perfect to make with kids, but supervision for the hot bits is required. And you may want a Hazmat team to clean up the chocolate afterwards.
Makes: 12
Ingredients
140g plain flour
50g caster sugar
25g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
50g butter
150ml milk
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla paste
80g milk or dark chocolate
Mini-eggs and leftover Easter egg shards
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, (170°C fan). Set out 12 cupcake cases in a bun tray.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder into a large bowl, stir to mix.
3. Melt the butter over low heat. In a separate bowl, beat together the melted butter, milk, egg and vanilla paste.
4 Fold in the dry ingredients – don’t over-beat. Fill each case with mix, and bake for 20 minutes.
5. When the cakes are cooled, melt the half the chocolate and use a teaspoon to spread a little on top of each cake. Grate the other half, and scatter over for the ‘nest'.
6. Use shards of Easter egg to decorate, and dip mini eggs in the melted chocolate to stick them on top.
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