Chocolate Nests
Ingredients
200g of your favourite chocolate
85g of shredded wheat (substitute with Rice Crispies if you have a wheat allergy)
Chocolate mini eggs
Optional 2 dessert spoons of chopped nuts
Method
Place the whole shedded wheat into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or just your hands. The wheat needs to be broken roughly and not too small.
Place 4 cm of water in a saucepan and then a heatproof bowl on top. The more snug the bowl fits the better as if the water splashes into the bowl it will prevent the chocolate setting.
Place the saucepan on the hob, break up the chocolate into small pieces and put into the bowl.
Gently heat the water in the bowl, stirring the chocolate.
If you are making these with children it’s safer to remove the bowl from the saucepan as soon as the water has boiled and then stir the chocolate until it’s completely melted.
Once the chocolate is melted add the shredded wheat (or Rice Crispies) a little at a time stirring until it’s all covered and adding a little more wheat until the runny chocolate is used up.
If desired 2 dessert spoonfuls of chopped nuts can be added at this point.
When fully mixed press 4-6 spoonfuls into a paper cupcake case or silicone mould. Press down to make a rough nest shape and place 3-4 mini eggs inside.
These can then be placed in the fridge if you need them to set quickly or they will usually set at a cool room temperature after about three hours.
Enjoy
Simnel Cake
Ingredients
175g butter (room temperature)
175g brown or muscovado sugar
3 large free range eggs
175g self- raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
175g raisins
175g currants
100g sultanas
(The dried fruit can be mixed and matched to taste, dried cherries and apricots also work well)
75g ground almonds
500g packet of golden marzipan
A spoonful of jam or runny honey
Mini eggs
Method
Cream the fat and sugar until fully mixed and goes a slightly lighter colour. This can be mixed by hand if you have little helpers. Beat the eggs and then add to the butter and sugar mixture a little at a time.
Carefully fold in the flour and spices. In a separate bowl mix the died fruit together and sprinkle with an extra 4 tablespoons of self raising flour to help prevent the fruit from sinking as it cooks. Then gently but thoroughly stir all the ingredients together .
Line an 8 inch/ 20cm deep loose bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. This is recommended even when using a non stick tin as it will help stop the sides from burning.
Then pour half of the combined ingredients into the tin. Take half of the pack of marzipan and roll out into a circle and place over the cake mixture in the tin. Then cover the marzipan with the remainder of the cake mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Once cooked allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Meanwhile roll out the rest of the marzipan into a circle.
Once completely cool, use a little apricot jam or runny honey to thinly cover the top of the cake and then place on the circle of marzipan. Gently crimp the edges in with your fingers and decorate with any marzipan leftovers rolled into balls and chocolate mini eggs.
Malcolm Thomas
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