Easter eggs are an integral part of Easter celebrations. Although this is not an Indian tradition and is more rampant in countries outside our borders, it has today become a popular custom among Indian families.
Traditionally, people used dyed or painted chicken eggs for the same but, today it is substituted with chocolate eggs, or icing eggs filled with confectionery such as sweets or chocolates. These eggs can be hidden for children to find on Easter morning, and may be left by the Easter Bunny. They may also be put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw to resemble a bird’s nest.
Today one can easily make Easter eggs from the comfort of their homes, and do not need to buy them from a super market. All the necessary ingredients are now easily available across stores in Kochi and can be readily accessed. All you need is an elementary knowledge of icing and chocolate making skills and you can easily make these goodies for your family and friends.
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Here are a few recipes to make your Easter a more colourful and joyous one.
Easter eggs
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For the covering
Icing sugar – 350gm
Gelatin – 1tsp
Liquid glucose – 1tsp
Colouring as required
Water – 1oz.
Method
Dissolve the gelatin and liquid glucose in the water over a double boiler and pour the hot mixture into the icing sugar until a soft dough is obtained. Roll out and line egg mould. Cut out the excess and allow to set.
Fill with chocolate and stick the mould with royal icing made with 1 egg white, 1 tsp of lime juice and 200-300gm of icing sugar. Colour as required.
Rum and Raisin Chocolate
Ingredients
Cooking chocolate – 100gm milk chocolate and 100gm dark chocolate
Butter – 1tsp
Rum – half cup
Raisins – quarter cup
Method
Soak the raisins in the rum overnight and keep aside. In a double boiler, melt both the chocolates and temper well. Add the butter and fold in lightly and carefully pour into chocolate mould. Fill with the rum soaked raisins and allow to set. De-mould and use as required.
Hot cross buns
Ingredients
Maida – 2cups
Instant yeast – 1tsp
Sugar – 1tsp
Salt to taste
Luke warm milk – half to 1 cup
Oregano – 1tsp
Butter – 1tbsp
Cheese grated – 1tbsp
Method
Sieve maida. Add sugar, salt and yeast with enough luke warm milk and knead to a soft dough. Finally add the oregano, cheese and butter. Knead again and allow to rise for half hour.
Shape into balls and allow to re-rise for another half hour. Meanwhile, mix together 1 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp maida with a little water and salt into a dough. Roll out and make crosses. Put each cross on a bun, give an egg wash and bake at 200C for 15mins.
There will be a specialty Easter cookery course on Mar. 22 and 23 at Manna Cookery School, contact: 9746626422