Hello! Hello! And Happy Easter! Right now you are probably opening the first of your weekend Easter eggs and pondering your time with family and friends over the coming holiday break.
At home, we’ve been busy raking up our garden weeds, planting fresh herbs and making the most of the first autumn rainfall.
Easter fits in well for us at time of year - we usually spend the holiday at home, cooking, gardening and enjoying the drop-ins from neighbours and friends. I’ve found the Easter treasure hunt one of those difficult parent-obstacles that has taken me years to navigate. In the early years, I tried hard to ‘do the right thing’ and ‘fit in’ with what other families were doing - we bought eggs, did a traditional egg-hunt, then dealt with the aftermath of sore tummies, bad tempers and irritability for the next few days. The following year we tried doing the hunt, but hiding the eggs in the days that followed (most of which ended up in the bin). The kids soon got wind of this, and were (not surprisingly) furious.
And so, last year we hit upon a happy medium. Eggs, yes. But only a few. We sourced chocolate eggs that were preservative and soy lecithin free (take a look at this article for why it’s always best to avoid soy lecithin in chocolate and processed foods). We then balanced it up with a gift for each of the kids (usually lego and a book) plus some really lovely table treats - a Chocolate Panna Cotta (shaped as an egg or rabbit), Chocolate Cake with oomph or home-made Chocolate Easter Eggs filled with creamy nut butter.
What I’ve learnt as a parent (and it’s taken many years, and a myriad of mistakes along the way) is that kids crave connection and family traditions more than anything else. Shiny, bright eggs tucked into the nooks of your garden are always exciting. But so is a fresh cake placed on the table with clean napkins and linen, or a sweetly-wrapped gift from someone special.
I realise that sending you a heap of recipes right before Easter might be somewhat of a parental migraine. So I’ll keep things very easy. Here are the recipes that we are cooking this weekend. They are simple - and only require a handful of ingredients from your fridge and pantry. If you are waking up tomorrow with less of a plan, and more of a headache, please be kind to yourself. Enjoy the day and sleep in a little. Hug your kids, and take a picnic outside. See a friend and head for a walk. Or grab a coffee and make yourself a Panna Cotta at home (honestly the best thing since cream + chocolate).
Homemade Easter Eggs filled with a Creamy Nut-Butter.
These are the easiest eggs to throw together, and you can use any type of nut butter, yet I have found that peanut or cashew works best. Also - scroll down to the variation; this is my kids preferred arrangement as it makes a crunchier, firmer chocolate. But the choice is up to you!
What You Will Need:
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (soy lecithin-free)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3/4 cup cashew or peanut butter
1/3 cup coconut flour
2 1/4 tablespoons maple syrup
Start by placing the chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a small bowl. Place this bowl in a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water and placed it over a low heat. Stir regularly using a wooden spoon and allow the chocolate to slowly melt.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by mixing 1 tablespoon coconut oil (check this is soft / at room temperature) with the peanut or cashew butter, coconut flour and maple syrup. Stir well using a wooden spoon. Set aside.
Once the chocolate has melted, gently pour it into egg-shaped silicone moulds and coat the sides as thickly as possible, leaving a gap in the centre of the egg. Place them in the freezer to harden, and check your freezer is on its fastest freeze setting (on fast freeze, this usually takes 30-45 minutes).
Next, pour spoonfuls of the nut butter into the chocolate moulds and smooth the top surface flat using a butter knife. Return the moulds to the freezer and allow the mixture to set for an additional 1-2 hours. Once ready, the eggs can be removed and joined together.
They can be eaten immediately and are best kept in the fridge or freezer to prevent spoilage.
Variation: Nut-Butter Crunch Chocolate -
My kids experimented recently by mixing together the chocolate with the nut butter to create a crunchy, firmer chocolate bite. To do this, simply melt the chocolate and prepare the nut butter mixture (as per the above instructions). Then mix 1/3 cup melted chocolate with 1 tablespoon of the nut butter mixture and stir well. Pour into silicone moulds (any shape will do!) and place in the freezer to harden. They should be ready in 30-60 minutes and will last for several weeks when stored in the fridge or freezer.
Chocolate Panna Cotta
This recipe has more cream and less sugar compared to traditional Panna Cotta recipes. For this reason, it’s superb served with black coffee or a sprinkle of grated dark chocolate. The kids love preparing it at home, and I’m always glad to serve it on Easter morning - the heavy cream balances out some of the sugar hit from the chocolate and I’m always pleased to dunk a spoonful of it in with my coffee. For a dairy-free version, please hit me in the comments and I’ll share some suggestions there as well.
What You Will Need:
600ml thick cream (1 dollop)
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