RECIPES

Easter Recipes

Hot Cross Buns Good Friday Fish & Chips Garlic Prawns with Citrus Chilli Butter Jumbo Prawn Mornay with Garlic Parsley Butter Candied Bacon Rocky Road Chocolate Easter Brioche Chocolate Crackle Bunnies

HOT CROSS BUNS

Makes: 8

INGREDIENTS 1 tsp dried yeast 300g (2½ cups) plain flour 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground allspice 80g (2/3 cup) dried currants 25g unsalted butter 40g (1/3 cup) LUCKY SLIVERED ALMONDS 150ml full cream milk 1 large egg 2 tbsp caster sugar 6 tbsp icing sugar 2 tbsp water

METHOD 1. Combine the yeast, flour, sugar, spices, currants and almonds in a large bowl and mix well. 2. Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan. When melted, add the milk and whisk until the mixture is lukewarm. Take off the heat and beat in the egg. 3. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. When too stiff to work, tip the mixture onto a lightly floured bench. Knead for 5 minutes, incorporating any currants or nuts that fall out of the dough back in while kneading. 4. Place the dough in a large, clean bowl, dust it with some flour and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Rest for 1½-2 hours in a warm, draught-free place until the dough has roughly doubled in size. 5. Preheat fan-forced oven to 180°C. 6. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a ball (the dough will deflate – this is fine). Arrange on a lightly greased tray. Cover with a tea towel and rest for a further 20 minutes. 7.Uncover the buns and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden. They are cooked when a rap of the knuckles on the bottom of a bun makes a hollow sound. 8. While they are cooking, prepare a glaze by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves. As soon as the buns are removed from the oven, brush them with the hot sugar glaze. 9. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before mixing the icing sugar with 1 teaspoon of water to make a thick paste. Take a zip-lock bag, fill it with the icing sugar paste and push the mixture to one corner. Snip a small hole in that corner and pipe cross marks on top of each bun. Serve slightly warm.

NOTE These are best eaten on the day they are made or can be frozen for up to 7 days.

GOOD FRIDAY FISH & CHIPS

INGREDIENTS 4 large pontiac potatoes, peeled, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick chips 185g plain flour, plus extra to dust 330ml lager Sunflower oil, to deep-fry 800g skinless flathead fillets, halved into long strips if necessary Lemon and iceberg lettuce wedges, to serve

METHOD 1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil over high heat. Add chips and return to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and spread on paper towel to dry completely. 2. Meanwhile, whisk flour, lager and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. 3. Half-fill a deep-fryer or large heavybased saucepan with oil and heat to 160°C. Fry the chips, in batches, for 5-7 minutes until soft but still pale, then drain. Chips can be prepared to this stage ahead of time. Lay flat on a paper towel. 4. Preheat oven to low. Increase oil to 190°C. When hot, fry chips again, in batches, for a further 2-3 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel, place on a tray, in a single layer, and keep warm in the oven while you cook fish. 5. Dust flathead fillets in the flour. Dip into the batter, one at a time, allowing excess to drain off. Carefully place into the hot oil. Cook the fish, in batches if necessary, for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp, then drain on paper towel. 6. Remove chips from oven and sprinkle fish and chips with a little more sea salt. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and iceberg lettuce.

GARLIC PRAWNS WITH CITRUS CHILLI BUTTER

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

You can cook garlic prawns whole or peeled, in this case we do both.

INGREDIENTS 160g butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 large green Australian prawns, whole 500g medium green Australian prawns, peeled and deveined 4 cloves garlic, sliced Thick zest of 2 lemons 1 small red chilli, sliced 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley Fresh lemon wedges and crusty bread to serve

METHOD 1. Heat half the butter and oil in large cast iron skillet over high heat. 2. Add whole prawns and cook for 2 minutes each side. 3. Add remaining butter, oil, garlic, peeled prawns, zest and chilli. 4. Cook turning prawns and basting occasionally for 1-2 minutes or until prawns are cooked through. 5. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with fresh lemon and lots of crusty bread.

JUMBO PRAWN MORNAY WITH GARLIC PARSLEY BUTTER

JUMBO PRAWN MORNAY WITH GARLIC PARSLEY BUTTER

Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS 24 extra large green Australian prawns Olive oil for brushing

Garlic Parsley Butter 180 g butter, softened 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 1 teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped Zest of 1 lemon Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Toasted rye to serve

Mornay Sauce 2 tablespoons garlic parsley butter 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 teaspoon mustard powder ½ cup finely grated gruyere 1 ½ cups milk

METHOD 1. To make the garlic parsley butter: place the butter, parsley, chilli flakes, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix until well combined. 2. To make the béchamel: Take 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter and melt into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute or until mixture is sandy. Add mustard powder and cheese and stir to combine. Whisk in the milk and cook whisking for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened and smooth, season with salt and pepper. This mixture should not be too thick you only want a light coating over the prawns. 3. Preheat oven grill to high. Using a sharp knife, split prawns in half lengthwise. Wash and dry the heads. Place prawn halves, shell side down on to a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. 4. Pre heat char grill or bbq over high heat, place prawns flesh side down on hottest part of grill and cook for 1-2 minutes or until slightly charred. Remove prawns and place onto a baking tray, spoon over a little of the béchamel sauce and then some garlic parsley butter. Place under grill and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve with extra garlic butter and toasted bread.

CANDIED BACON ROCKY ROAD

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Serves: 16

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon brown sugar 175g rindless bacon rashers 400g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 280g white and pink marshmallows, roughly chopped 200g glace cherries 150g Turkish Delight chocolate bar, roughly chopped 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine maple syrup and brown sugar in a small bowl. Place bacon onto prepared tray and brush generously with maple syrup glaze. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn bacon and brush with maple syrup mixture. Bake for a further 15 minutes. Stand and cool. When cold and crisp, finely chop the bacon. 2. Grease and line a 26cm x 16cm x 3cm deep baking pan with baking paper. Place chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second bursts, stirring with a metal spoon after each burst, until just melted. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes. 3. Stir through marshmallows, cherries, Turkish Delight, peanuts and half of the bacon through the chocolate. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Stand at room temperature to set (or refrigerate in hot weather). Cut into squares and serve.

TIP • Place any leftover rocky road into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE EASTER BRIOCHE

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus proofing) Cook Time: 35-40 minutes Makes: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS Loaf 3 1/3 cups (500g) Lighthouse Bread & Pizza Flour, sifted 1 x 7g instant yeast sachet 2 tbsp (40g) caster sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 2 eggs 300ml whipping cream

Chocolate Filling 1 1/2 cups (250g) chocolate chips 2 tbsp (30g) butter, softened 2 tbsp (40g) caster sugar 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 pinch of salt

METHOD 1. Lightly grease and line a large loaf tin with baking paper. 2. Mix together flour, yeast, sugar, vanilla essence, eggs and cream until dough forms. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until a smooth ball forms (alternatively, use a stand mixer). 3. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (approximately 1 hour). 4. Meanwhile, make the chocolate filling. Finely chop chocolate and mix with ingredients to make paste or use a food processor to blend until it becomes a course paste. 5. Roll the dough into a rectangular shape approximately 25cm x 40cm. Spread chocolate filling on the dough and start from the short end to roll the dough, pinch ends and place seam side down. 6. Place loaf in the loaf tin and brush with melted butter, stand in a warm place for 1 more hour. 7. While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced). 8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.

CHOCOLATE CRACKLE BUNNIES

Prep Time: 30 minutes Set Time: 1 hour Serves: 24

You will need an Easter themed cookie cutter for this recipe – we have used a 6cm bunny shape cutter in this case but you can use any shape you like.

INGREDIENTS White chocolate crackle 250g (1 block) Copha 200g White chocolate, chopped (not compound) 125g (1-cup) Icing sugar 60g (½ cup) Milk Powder 4 cups Rice bubbles 100g (1 cup) Desiccated coconut

Dark chocolate crackle 250g (1 block) Copha 200g Dark chocolate (chopped) 125g (1-cup) Icing sugar 60g (½ cup) Cocoa powder 4 cups Rice bubbles 100g (1 cup) Desiccated coconut

Icing 50g Icing sugar 1-2tsp Water Pink food colouring Liquorice strips and pink smarties to decorate

METHOD Chocolate Crackle Base 1. Line two 30cm x 20cm baking trays with baking paper. 2. In a large bowl combine white chocolate and Copha. Place over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat. 3. Add Rice Bubbles®, milk powder and coconut in a separate bowl. Stir to combine. Pour crackle mix onto one of the baking trays and spread evenly. Leave on the bench to set. 4. In a large bowl combine dark chocolate and Copha. Place over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat. 5. Add Rice Bubbles®, cocoa powder and coconut in a separate bowl. Stir to combine. Pour crackle mix onto second baking tray and spread evenly. Leave on the bench to set. 6. Using a 6cm bunny shaped cookie cutter, carefully cut out bunny shapes. Transfer bunny shapes to a tray or large plate, and leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour.

Icing 1. Sift icing sugar into a medium bowl. Add a few drops of pink food colouring. Add water one teaspoon at a time, mix until a smooth, thick icing is made.

Assembly • Put some icing on the liquorice whiskers and stick down onto the crackle. • Then put some icing on the smartie and glue it down to the whiskers. • Allow icing to set. • Serve.

Note You can use the left over crackle to make crackle popcorn, Place the left-over’s in a microwave safe bowl, heat on medium (50%) power for 1minute, pour onto a tray lined with baking paper. Leave it to set on the bench for 20 minutes or until firm to touch. Pinch off walnut sized pieces and shape into popcorn, once all the mix is used up put popcorn in the fridge to set around 1 hour. Store crackle shapes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

DID YOU KNOW... the majority of ham sold in Australia is actually made using imported meat?

So to make sure you’re buying great tasting Aussie ham made from Australian pork, look for a bar chart that’s almost full. Just like the one above.