Easter Essentials

I don't know about you, but it seems to me that 2014 has been flying by absurdly fast, so much so that Easter is now only a few weeks away! We will be in Japan in the lead up to Easter, so we're unlikely to go overboard with decorations this year, but these seasonal treats are certainly inspiring me...

Splat egg, Hotel Chocolat

Magpie Make & Do ~ Snickerbocker Shake

I'm not an out-and-out milkshake fan, I'll be honest. Much as I wish I did, I just don't like milk, so milkshakes for me always have to be one part milk to nine parts anything but! I don't even want to think about how many calories there are in this devilishly naughty concoction, but frankly, it tastes so good that I'm willing to overlook it, and so should you.

Magpie Make & Do ~ Macarons au Chocolat

Macaroons are a real favourite of mine. I love to eat them (that initial crack of the shell that gives way to the most gratifying of delicately chewy textures...); in fact I'm happy just to look at and admire them in all their pastel perfection! Locally, the best can be found at Maison Blanc. The time was finally ripe for me to try making my own, when one of my best friends kindly bought us this beautiful recipe cook for our anniversary (the pages are edged in gold leaf!):

Magpie Make & Do ~ Choconuttynana Loaf

I love banana bread - it has that unmistakable taste of childhood nostalgia - and always tend to whip up a cheeky loaf if I have any bananas on the turn. This variation adds a little something for those of you, like me, with a sweet tooth...

Ingredients

10oz/285g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

4oz/110g butter (plus extra for greasing)

8oz/225g caster sugar

2 large eggs (the best you can find, and ensure they are free range)

4 very/over ripe bananas, mashed

3fl.oz/85ml buttermilk (alt: normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice)

1 (generous) tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp Nutella

Method

1. Preheat over to 180°C/350°F.

2. Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla essence to the butter and sugar mixture.

5. Fold in flour mixture.

6. Dollop in your Nutella one tablespoon at a time, distributing around the surface of your mixture. Stir through very roughly to create a marble effect.

7. Grease a loaf tin (approx. 8"x 5" or 20cm x 12.5cm) and pour in mixture.

8. Place in the oven to back for approximately 1 hour, or until well-risen, golden brown and leaves a skewer clean when pierced through.

9. Remove from the oven to cool in tin for 10 minutes or so, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

10. Devour!

Serving suggestion: You may think me disgusting for suggesting this, but I am a huge fan of combining salt and sweet, so I like to cut a decent slice (c.1.5cm thick) and spread it with a naughty layer of butter. Incredible with a cuppa...

Bon appetit!

pp x

Chocolate Truffle Filo Tulips

I featured a photo of these little beauties a couple of Smörgåsbords ago, promising the recipe at a later date. Well, here it is!

Ingredients (makes approx. 15 cups)

For the filo cups:
3-6 sheets filo pastry
45g/1.5oz unsalted butter, melted
caster sugar

For the truffle mixture:
250ml/8fl oz double cream
225g/8oz good quality chocolate (I like to use Green & Black's, 125g 70% dark chocolate and 100g milk)
55g/2oz unsalted butter
30ml/2tbsp amaretto or other liqueur

Method

1. Prepare the truffle mixture. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to the boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until melted. Beat in butter and add amaretto. Pour into a bowl, straining if necessary. Refridgerate for one hour (approx.) until thick enough to pipe.

2. Preheat oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Grease a bun tray(/s) with indents c.4cm/1.5" deep. Place filo sheets on a work surface. Cut each sheet into 6cm/2.5" squares. Cover with a damp tea towel. Keeping filo sheets covered, place one square on a work surface. Brush lightly with melted butter, turn over and brush reverse. Sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Butter another square, and place it over the first at an angle; sprinkle with sugar. Butter a third square and place over the first two, unevenly, so that the three squares form a star shape. Press the layered filo squares into the tray. Continue in this way until you have around 15 filo cups (I made 12, but had truffle mixture to spare at the end).

3. Bake the filo cups for 4-6 minutes until golden. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack whilst still in the tray. Remove from tray to cool completely.

4. Stir the chocolate mixture. It should be just thick enough to pipe. Spoon mixture into a piping bag with a medium star tip, and pipe a swirl into each cup.

5. Decorate to your taste. I used raspberries, but you may prefer a twist of orange zest, a shaving of contrasting white chocolate, or a sugar flower, for example. Finish off with a dusting of icing sugar and enjoy!