easter – My Whisk and I

Easter Hunt Cupcakes

April 10, 2023April 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

You can top these cupcakes with a chocolate ganache icing or leave them plain – I prefer plain as they are sweet and gooey with the melted Easter egg on the inside.

200g butter, room temperature
200g sugar
200g flour
83ml cocoa powder, sifted
7,5ml baking powder
1,2ml bicarbonate of soda
2,5ml salt
150ml sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
7,5ml vanilla
12 small, filled chocolate eggs

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together on high speed, scrape down the bowl and mix again on high speed.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Stir through by hand until just incorporated.
Divide the batter between the 12 paper cups and insert a filled chocolate egg in each.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

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Easter Celebration Bread

April 9, 2023April 3, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

500ml milk, tepid
250ml x 6 all-purpose flour
30ml sugar
15ml instant yeast
10ml salt
85ml butter, cubed, room temperature

Fit a dough hook on your stand mixer.
Add the milk, 5 x 250ml flour, sugar, yeast and salt to the mixer bowl.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and knead to bring together.
Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, workable dough.
Knead for 3 minutes on medium-low speed, until you have a smooth elastic dough.
Add the butter and continue to knead on medium-low speed until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic.
Cover the dough with a tea towel and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes.
Spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray and set aside.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
Divide in half.
Shape one half into a 22cm diameter disc and place in the prepared cake tin.
Divide the other half into three equal portions and roll each into a rope about 60cm long.
Now braid the three ropes together and place the braid flat around the edge of the pan, forming a circle.
Trim the ends of the braid so that it “meets” neatly.
Place an uncooked egg in the centre of the circle – this symbolises birth/new life.
Cover the tin with a tea towel and leave to double – it should take about an hour.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place the bread in the oven and bake for 55 minutes.
Remove from the cake tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

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Hot Cross Buns with Caramel Banana

April 7, 2023April 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 hot cross buns, halved
240g cream cheese, room temperature
125ml cream
2,5ml vanilla
160g Biscoff spread
4 bananas, sliced

Toast the halved buns in a dry pan.
Add the cream cheese and cream to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Refrigerate until needed.
Add the biscoff spread to a small bowl and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds at a time, until you have a very soft spread.
Spoon the cream cheese mixture on the buns.
Slice the bananas and arrange on top.
Drizzle with the biscoff spread.

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Chocolate Filled Eggs

April 6, 2023April 5, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

160g Orange flavoured De Villiers Chocolate
160g cream
12 De Villiers Chocolate hollow easter eggs

Chop the chocolate finely and add it to a mixing bowl.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and allow it to warm up – it should be hot when you stick your finger in it but it should not boil.
Pour the warm cream on the chopped chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted.
Set the bowl somewhere in your kitchen and stir every time you walk past.
The ganache will take about 40 minutes to come to piping consistency, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
In the meantime, slice the top off the Easter eggs.
I warm the bottoms of the eggs and then stick them on to a spoon so that they sit upright.
Spoon the ganache into a piping bag and fill the eggs.
Scatter some orange zest over to serve.