Easter with a twist

Try something a little bit different this Easter, with dishes from Europe and some twists on tradition

Food plays an important part in our Easter celebrations, whether it’s Easter eggs, hot cross buns or Simnel cake, or just a good old roast dinner with the family (see our feature on cooking the perfect roast on page 20 for more on that). It’s the same in other Christian countries too, although some of the traditional food is a little bit different. Here, we take a look at some of the traditional Easter dishes eaten in other countries, and find some twists on some of our favourite Easter dishes.

SIMNEL CAKE

It is thought that the name “Simnel” comes from the Roman word “similia”, meaning fine flour. Simple Simnel bread has been made in England since as far back as the 11th century and has been described as being boiled as well as baked. It’s around the 17th century though that more elaborate versions of Simnel cakes started turning up in association with spring and Easter. At Easter it’s topped with 11 marzipan balls to represent the 11 apostles of Christ, minus Judas. This recipe takes the flavours of a Simnel cake and puts them into a chocolate brownie.

CHOCOLATE SIMNEL BROWNIES

SERVES 14

100g dried mixed fruits 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp sea salt 50ml brandy (or orange juice) 110g butter (unsalted) 260g dark muscovado sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling over the top 75g golden syrup 300g dark chocolate 4 medium free-range eggs 80g plain white flour 75g ready-to-roll marzipan

1 Soak the fruits in the brandy or orange juice with the spices and salt over night.

2 Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 3.

3 In a large saucepan, melt the butter, dark muscovado and syrup until smooth and glossy.

4 Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, mixing until all the chocolate has fully melted. 5 Whisk the eggs lightly and add to the chocolate mixture stirring well. Now add the soaked fruits and flour.

6 Pour in to a parchment paper-lined baking tin, 18 x 28 x 3cm deep.

7 Grate the marzipan over the top of the brownie and finish with some dark muscovado sprinkled over the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes until it’s just beginning to set but is still soft in the middle.

8 Remove from the oven, cool completely then chill in the fridge overnight.

9 Turn out of the tin, peel off the paper then cut the edges from the brownie as these can become dry and over cooked.

10 Cut into squares. Serve at room temperature. The brownies will keep for 7 days in an airtight container.

Recipe by Paul Young for Baking Mad (bakingmad.com)

HOT CROSS BUNS

There’s perhaps no food quite so synonymous with Easter (except maybe, arguably, Easter eggs) as the hot cross bun. Traditionally flavoured with all spice and raisins, these days these yeasty treats are available in all manner of flavours, from Marmite to chocolate. The history of the hot cross bun is long, supposedly dating back to Saxon times. Back then, of course, they didn’t have any Christian significance — Saxons ate buns marked with crosses in honour of Eostre, the goddess of spring or light. And it’s from the name Eostre that the word Easter is derived. It’s thought that Druids, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans all ate similar cakes or buns marked with deer or ox horns, or a cross signifying the four quarters of the moon in honour of Diana, Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. You can even find remains of these buns in an ancient bakehouse in Pompeii, and these buns also get a mention in the Bible, when Jeremiah chastises Hebrew women for continuing to worship Diana by offering up said cakes. Apparently not wanting to give up the delicious cakes, Christians adopted them, changing the symbolism of the cross to represent the crucifixion, and the spices to represent those used to embalm Jesus. Instead of the traditional buns, this recipe puts the flavours of a hot cross bun, along with some orange and cranberry, into a loaf. And of course, you could try experimenting with your own flavours too if you’re feeling creative! 1 Grease a 2lb (900g) loaf tin with softened butter.

2 Sieve the flour, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre. Place the yeast in a jug with the warm milk, stir until dissolved and bubbling. Add the milk, eggs and butter to the well and mix into a soft dough.

3 Lightly dust a clean work surface with a little flour or tip into the bowl of a free standing mixer with a dough hook and knead for 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.

4 Place into a lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover with cling film. Place in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours until it’s doubled in size.

5 When time is up lightly flour a clean work surface. Tip the dough on to the surface and lightly knead. A few spoonfuls at a time sprinkle over the fruit and zest then knead and fold into the dough. When it’s all incorporated place back in the oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow to rise for a further hour.

6 Divide the dough into 8 equal size balls (use a weighing scale to make sure they’re all the same size). Shape the balls into fat sausages. Place the sausages side by side in the tin. Place the tin in a large sandwich bag and seal it. Allow to rise in a warm place for 1 more hour.

7 Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4.

8 Meanwhile, mix the plain flour, oil and cold water in a bowl to make a smooth paste. Spoon in to a small piping bag and snip off a small hole. Pipe a little cross on top of each of the hot cross buns. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and risen.

9 Place the juice and marmalade in a small pan and allow to bubble and thicken on a low heat. When the loaf is ready, carefully and quickly turn it out of the tin and on to a cooling rack. Brush over the glaze and leave to cool. Serve warm with salted butter. This loaf is best eaten on the day it’s made but will come back to a lovely soft loaf if warmed through in the oven the next day.

Recipe by by Clarence Court

TOP TIP: This loaf makes great toast or as the base for a bread and butter pudding.

HOT CROSS BUN LOAF

SERVES 8

500g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp mixed spice A few gratings of whole nutmeg ¼ tsp fine salt 75g caster sugar 7g sachet dry yeast 170ml whole milk, gently warmed to hand heat 2 large Clarence Court Burford Browns eggs, beaten 80g unsalted butter, softened well, plus extra for greasing 80g sultanas 60g mixed peel 80g dried cranberries Zest of 2 oranges, finely grated 25g plain flour 1 tsp sunflower oil 2-3 tbsp cold water Juice of 2 oranges 2 tbsp marmalade

SPECKLED EASTER CHOCOLATE CAKE

With chocolate and chicks this gorgeous, speckled cake will make a stunning Easter centrepiece!

SERVES 10-12

FOR THE SPONGE 250g plain flour 60g cocoa powder 1½ tsp baking powder 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 290g golden caster sugar 200ml vegetable oil 250ml buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 large eggs, beaten

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM 300g slightly salted butter 675g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp milk Food gels (pink and green used here)

FOR THE SPECKLED SPLATTER 1 tsp cocoa powder 1tbsp vanilla extract

FOR THE MERINGUE CHICKS 1 large egg white – approx. 40g 80g caster sugar Yellow food gel Edible pens

FOR THE CHOCOLATE NEST (OPTIONAL) 100g milk chocolate Balloon Grass tip and piping bag

FOR THE SPONGE

1 Preheat oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 3 and grease and line a 9” cake tin

2 Put flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar in a bowl. Add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs and mix well. 3 Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave cake to cool.

4 Trim top if needed and slice cake in half.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

1 Beat butter until light and fluffy then add half the icing sugar and beat well. Add remaining icing sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until smooth.

2 Remove a spoonful of buttercream and place in a bowl with pink food gel for the flowers. Pop in piping bag with flower tip. 3 Remove a spoonful of buttercream and place in a bowl with green food gel for the leaves. Pop into piping bag with leaf tip.

4 Colour the remaining buttercream pastel pink.

5 Place one piece of sponge on a cake stand and spread over some pink coloured buttercream. Top with another layer, then cover the whole cake and use a large palette knife to make it nice and smooth.

FOR THE SPECKLED SPLATTER

1 Mix the cocoa powder and vanilla extract together in a small bowl and use a little brush to create little splatters all over the cake to make it look like a speckled egg shell.

FOR THE MERINGUE CHICKS

1 Heat oven to 100 degrees fan. In a mixer, whisk egg white until frothy and dry, then add the sugar a spoonful at a time until all sugar is used up and the meringue is thick and glossy. Add a little yellow food gel and place in piping bag.

2 Snip the end and pipe small triangular shapes onto baking paper and bake for 30-35 minutes.

3 When dry, draw some eyes, a beak and some feet onto the meringues with edible pens to look like little chicks.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE NEST (OPTIONAL)

1 Melt milk chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

2 Blow up a little balloon and balance it on a bowl.

3 Place the melted chocolate in a piping bag with grass nozzle and pipe roughly over the balloon.

4 Leave to set and place in the fridge.

5 Pop balloon and place next on top of cake, securing with a little chocolate icing.

6 Pipe chocolate buttercream inside nest and top with meringue chicks, mini eggs.

7 Slice and enjoy!

ITALY

In Italy, a special bread is often made at Easter. It’s made in the shape of a wreath, which symbolises the crown of thorns worn by Jesus. Often the dough is made from three pieces plaited together to represent the Holy Trinity. The bread is often baked with coloured eggs directly in the dough, or white eggs that can be decorated after baking. The eggs are added to represent rebirth and Jesus rising from the dead. This recipe has a South West twist with the inclusion of Dorset-grown watercress.

ITALIAN STUFFED EASTER BREAD WITH BAKED EGGS

SERVES 10-12

180ml warm water 28g active dry yeast 1 tbsp sugar 180ml milk 500g bread flour, plus more for dusting 1 tbsp sea salt 80ml olive oil 1 large egg 1 tsp water 4 eggs

FOR THE PESTO Leaves and soft stems from 85g watercress, roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves, peeled and grated 150g grated Parmesan or other hard cheese Zest of one lemon 55g pine nuts, toasted 120ml extra virgin olive oil

1 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar and mix at low speed until just combined (about 30 seconds). Leave to stand for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is frothy.

2 Heat the milk in a saucepan set over a medium-low heat until tiny bubbles form at the edge of the pan. Do not allow to boil. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

3 Once the milk has cooled, add it to the mixer along with the olive oil and salt. Mix at a low speed until just combined. Add the flour one quarter at a time, mixing after each addition on a medium-low speed. Ensure everything is combined. 4 Change the paddle attachment on the mixer over to the hook, ensuring that any dough is scraped off and put back into the bowl. Mix on low speed for about 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium and mix for about 5-6 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

5 Lightly oil a large mixing bowl and place the dough inside. Lightly oil a piece of clingfilm and use it to cover the dough, oiled side down. Cover this with a clean cloth and set aside in a warm place to prove for around 1 hour, or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.

6 Make the pesto by adding the watercress, garlic, cheese, lemon zest, and pine nuts to a processor. Pulse until everything is pureed, then blend continuously while adding the olive oil in a steady stream. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and then blend for another 30

seconds to make sure everything is combined. Set aside. (This can be done up to two days in advance but must be brought back up to room temperature before using.) 7 Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Make an egg wash by whisking the egg and teaspoon of water together then set aside. Also prepare another large square of parchment to work on when you shape the bread. 8 Lightly flour a work surface then turn out the proved dough and cut it into three equal pieces. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the first piece to a 12 inch/30cm square. It should be about 3mm in thickness. Use a spatula to scoop a third of the pesto onto the dough and spread evenly, leaving a border uncovered on the edge closest to you. Brush this exposed border with egg wash, then begin to roll the dough into a tube from the furthest edge towards you as tightly as you can. Once you have rolled the dough fully into a tube, pinch the seam closed with your fingertips. Gently roll the tube back and forth over the work surface until it spreads lengthwise to about 20 inches/50cm long. Cover with cling film and set aside while you repeat with the remaining dough and pesto. 9 Line up the rolled tubes on the prepared piece of parchment paper. Use a large sharp knife to make a lengthways slash in each roll, cutting a deep slit halfway down the depth of the tube. Be careful not to cut all the way through. 10 Roughly measure the centre point of the tubes. Working towards you from the centre, plait the tubes together by crossing one of the outer tubes gently over the middle one. Then cross the other outer tube up and over the new middle one exactly as if you were braiding hair. Repeat, working your way down to the end so that half the tube is braided. Then turn the parchment around and plait the other side from the centre to the end. Carefully join up the ends so that the plaited dough forms a ring shape, then pinch firmly together to complete the circle. Use the parchment paper the dough is resting on to transfer the whole thing to your lined backing tray. 11 Make four equally spaced dents for the eggs in between the strips of the plait. Gently position the eggs one by one. Press them down carefully to avoid breaking them. Lightly oil a piece of cling film then use this to cover the bread. Allow to prove for around 30 minutes.

12 Uncover the plaited loaf and brush well with the remainder of the egg wash. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for an additional 45 minutes or until the bread is a warm brown colour. If you rap the bread gently on the bottom, it should sound quite hollow. 13 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the baking tray. Then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to come down to room temperature before serving. Serve on a platter and slice at the table.

Recipe by watercress.co.uk