Load up your baskets with these desserts that are perfect for your Easter day celebration.
Cadbury Creme Eggs are one of those candies that we wait for all year long and we had to replicate them by creating this cheesecake-stuffed chocolate Easter egg with a ‘yolk’ made of passion fruit sauce. This makes a superb Easter dessert: light, creamy and not overly sweet. They look so much like real eggs, that it puts a smile on our face. Sophisticated, but actually, easy to make!
Ingredients
(makes 6-8 regular sized easter egg cheesecakes)
6-8 hollow chocolate easter eggs (we used See’s Candies Hollow Chocolate Eggs)
5 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar), sifted
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup thickened/heavy whipping cream
For the ‘yolk’: 1 passionfruit, 1 tbsp apricot jam, 1 tbsp (about 15g) unsalted butter
Directions
Using a small serrated knife (run knife under warm water), carefully remove the tops of the chocolate eggs. Place the eggs in the fridge to keep them chilled while you prepare the cheesecake filling. Place the cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat on high until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside and carefully whip the thickened cream in a separate mixing bowl to stiff peaks.Using a whisk, gently combine the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it is smooth. Carefully spoon or pipe the mixture into the prepared chocolate shells. Chill eggs for at least 30 minutes
to allow it to set.
Prepare the passionfruit sauce; strain passionfruit pulp to remove the seeds and place in a small saucepan with the apricot jam and butter. Gently heat on low, whisking until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. (If your apricot jam is chunky you should strain the sauce at this point) Place in the fridge and chill until it thickens slightly. Using a small spoon, carefully scoop out a hole in the centre of each cheesecake, about 1 cm deep and wide. Fill hole with some of the chilled passionfruit sauce and return the eggs to the fridge to chill again for at least 30 mins. Remove eggs from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving. Can be made 2-3 days in advance, keep eggs in the fridge in a holder inside an airtight container or covered tightly with clingfilm to stop them drying out.
Your little bunnies will love these decadent carrot cakes, perfect for bringing to an Easter party (don’t forget the cream cheese frosting!). Make this classic favorite for a crowd and you might not have any leftovers to bring home!
Mini “Naked” Spiced Carrot Cake
{Adapted by Woman’s Day}
Ingredients
Carrot Cakes
1 3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon(s) each baking soda and salt
2 jar(s) (4 oz each) baby food carrots
cup(s) cup grated fresh carrots
3/4 cup(s) orange juice
1/2 cup(s) sugar
1/4 cup(s) canola oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz) brick cream cheese
1/2 stick(s) (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar
Orange and green gel food color
Directions
Heat oven to 375ºF. Line 13 x 9 x 2-in. baking pan with heavy-duty foil, extending it over sides; coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to mix.
In another medium bowl, whisk baby food, fresh carrots, orange juice, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Using foil, lift cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
Frosting: In a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy. On low, beat in confectioners’ sugar. Beat until fluffy.
Using foil, lift cake onto work surface. With a 2 1⁄2-in. round biscuit cutter, cut out 12 rounds from cake. Place 1⁄2 cup frosting in a cup and tint orange. Place 1⁄4 cup frosting in another cup and tint green-yellow.
On half of the cake rounds, spread 1 Tbsp frosting each; top with remaining rounds. Frost each top with 1 1⁄2 Tbsp frosting. Place orange and green tinted frosting in separate quart-size ziptop bags. Snip off tip from each bag; pipe orange carrots and green tops on cakes.
Celebrate the season!
Pastry Chef: Robert LeSage of 24 carrots
Design: Arpi Torosyan of 24 carrots
Photography: Marlin Salazar