IOL Food - March/April 2022 - Easter Sweets & Treats Issue

IOL

FOOD

March/April 2022

Easter

Sweets & Treats Issue

Inside Quick and easy guide to Easter food | 3 Carrot dessert recipes that would make the Easter bunny jealous | 4 Easter bread and wine pairing | 6 Easter desserts from around the world | 8 Deliciously fun ways to eat Hot Cross Buns | 12 Weird and unusual Easter treats | 14 Traditional Easter treats with a twist | 16 EDITOR’S CHOICE: The must-have items to make your favourite Easter treats | 19

IOL CONTACT US PUBLISHER Vasantha Angamuthu vasantha@africannewsagency.com EDITORS Buhle Mbonambi buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za DESIGN Dominique Owen dominique.owen@inl.co.za PRODUCTION EDITOR Renata Ford renata.ford@inl.co.za BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Keshni Odayan keshni.odayan@iol.co.za SALES Charl Reineke charl.reineke@iol.co.za ENQUIRIES info@anapublishing.com

FROM THE EDITOR It is that time of the year again – Easter eggs, hot cross buns and decadent feasts. A time to spend with loved ones and celebrate the meaning behind this special time. Food plays an important part during this holiday, which for some can be an exciting time, and for others a time filled with anxiety about all the Easter treats.

I love Easter and have great memories of it growing up.

I remember going to church and arriving home to be greeted with a day full of food, laughter, and time. I remember Easter eggs with detailed decorations that we nearly broke our teeth on. I remember being given chocolate with the understanding that this was the day when eating it was not only permitted but encouraged.

The excitement was not just about chocolate though. It was a season I loved so much – a

combination of the sound of lambs bleating in the fields, the thrill of something new to wear to church, and the delicious food we would be eating after church. We were also off school for the Easter holidays and always got to spend time as siblings and cousins. It was a joy having them around.

Breakfast on Good Friday was always the traditional hot cross buns. Now you can buy them throughout the year, but it was really exciting to have something special to eat on just one day of the year.

This issue has put together a great list of cute, delicious, and easy Easter treats to make this holiday season.

Happy Easter to all the readers!

LUTHO PASIYA

Lutho

Your quick and easy guide to traditional Easter treats LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za

Picture: Pexels

MANY Easter food traditions go back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Below we look at the significance of some of the foods we eat to celebrate Easter.

According to Alimentarium, a food museum, in the Christian tradition, Easter brings an end to the Lent fast with a series of rich dishes. Lamb commemorates the sacrifice, and resurrection of Christ. Decorated eggs and chocolate rabbits came over time.

What does food portray?

The Easter meal, which follows the religious ceremony, is often eaten at midday, bringing the long fast of Lent to an end.

Lamb, which commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice, is often served as the main course, as a leg, roast or stew. The egg is a symbol of mourning in Jewish Passover, but represents life and rebirth in the Christian Easter celebration.

According to an orthodox legend, we owe the first Easter egg to Mary Magdalene as she is said to have presented herself before

Emperor Tiberius in Rome, with an egg in her hand, requesting the condemnation of Pontius Pilate. Legend has it that as she recounted the events surrounding Jesus’ death, the egg turned red, thus convincing the Emperor of the resurrection of Christ.

Traditionally, eggs are hardboiled, then painted or decorated with Christian symbols such as the cross. As for the rabbit, its connection with Easter is rooted in folklore – Germanic legends relate that on Easter morning, a rabbit laid coloured eggs.

Here are the meanings behind some of your favourite Easter eats.

Chocolate eggs The tradition of painting eggs has been around for thousands of years, but it was not until the 17th and 18th centuries that egg-shaped toys (often filled with sweets) were given to children at Easter. No one knows who invented the first chocolate egg, but they first started appearing in the early 19th century in France

and Germany. Reports reveal that the egg has long symbolised new life, birth, purity, fertility, and regeneration.

Simnel cake Fruitcake associated with Christmas but its Easter version, the simnel cake, is less well known. It is made with similar ingredients, including raisins, sultanas, and lemon zest ad plenty of marzipan.

The cake, eaten since medieval times as part of a symbolic ritual is decorated with 11 (the apostles without Judas), or 12 marzipan balls (to include Christ).

Easter bunny The egg-bearing rabbit on Easter Sunday has a long history. It was the symbol of Eostre or Ostara – the pagan Germanic goddess of spring and fertility. It is believed this pagan symbol merged with Christian traditions in 17th century Germany. Thus, the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrated the resurrection of Jesus, became superimposed on pagan traditions that celebrated rebirth and fertility.

Carrot dessert RECIPES LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za

The carrot is often claimed to be the perfect health food. It is crunchy, tasty, and highly nutritious. Perhaps that is why they are so popular with the Easter bunny and Easter dessert

enthusiasts alike. With this selection of carrot desserts, we think you will find something unique, beautiful, or just delicious enough to be worthy of a spot on your Easter dessert buffet.

HARRIS HLUNGWANI’S CARROT MERINGUE PIE INGREDIENTS For the carrot purée 500g peeled carrots, ends removed 4 tbsp of unsalted butter 1 tbsp of white granulated sugar 2 tbsp of heavy cream 1 pinch of salt 50g of agar (use gelatin if agar unavailable) For the crust 300g tennis biscuits 125ml melted butter For the Swiss meringue 6 extra-large egg whites 375g white sugar METHOD For the pie crust: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Combine the butter and biscuits in a food processor and blend until fine.

Transfer to a 23cm pie dish and press into an even, thin layer, including up the sides of the dish, and bake for 10 minutes.

For the carrot purée:

Cut the peeled carrots into equal small sizes and boil in a medium saucepan until soft. Drain and then add the carrots, butter, sugar, salt, and heavy cream into an electric blender and blend on medium until smooth.

Transfer to a saucepan and simmer. Add the agar. Add the mixture to the pie crust, cover with cling film and leave to cool in the fridge.

For the Swiss meringue: Combine the egg whites and sugar in a large metal or glass bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.

Whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer), and with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Dollop the egg whites into the chilled pie and decorate to your preference. Caramelise the egg whites with a kitchen blow torch until golden brown and serve immediately.

So delicious, they would make the Easter bunny jealous

CARROT CAKE MUFFINS WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (Makes 12) INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, plus more for brushing the pan ½ cup (60 grams) pecan or walnut pieces 1 ¾ cups (222 grams) whole grain pastry flour , or 1 cup (125 grams) regular whole-wheat flour and ¾ cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for optional dusting ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¾ cup (165 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup (250 grams) unsweetened applesauce 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups (220 grams) coarsely grated carrots ¼ cup (60 grams) whipped cream cheese 1 tablespoon maple syrup METHOD Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 190 degrees. Brush the wells of a muffin

tin with oil. Spread the nuts on a small, rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven about 3 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board, let cool slightly, then finely chop.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil and eggs until well combined. Whisk in the applesauce and the vanilla, then stir in the carrots.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two or three batches, mixing each addition until just combined. Stir in the nuts until just incorporated.

Scoop the batter into the muffin tin and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Transfer the muffins in their tin to a wire rack to cool completely, then remove the muffins from the tin.

While the muffins are cooling, in a small bowl combine the cream cheese and maple syrup, beating until smooth.

Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a small plastic bag, pushing the mixture into one corner of the bag.

Snip about 1cm off the corner off the bag to create a piping bag and squeeze a dollop of frosting onto each muffin.

Dust the muffins with additional cinnamon, if desired.

EASY CARROT TRAY-BAKE INGREDIENTS 4 eggs 400ml brown sugar 250ml oil 500ml cake flour 10ml bicarbonate of soda 10ml cinnamon 5ml salt 4 x 250ml grated carrots 100g pecan nuts, chopped (optional) Icing 125g thick cream cheese 80g butter, softened 5ml vanilla essence 500ml icing sugar

METHOD Combine eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until very light and creamy.

Beat in the oil.

Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, and salt together and stir into mixture.

Lastly, stir in the carrots and nuts.

Pour mixture into a greased and lined deep 23x30cm oven pan and bake at 180°C for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Ice with cream cheese icing and decorate with pecan nuts if desired.

Icing: Combine cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl and beat well.

Add the vanilla and beat in the icing sugar gradually until the mixture is thick and fluffy.

Recipes: IOL Archives

BUHLE MBONAMBI buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za

The perfect Easter bread and wine pairing

The symbolism of bread and wine in the Christian community needs no explaining. While The Last Supper was more than just about breaking bread and wine, it has inspired enthusiasts to look into the best bread and wine pairings.

There are various things to take into consideration when you pair wine with bread.

Things like the flavour profile of the bread, grains used, and whether it’s sweet or not. Then there is the generally accepted principle of light breads going well with lighter wines, while thick and dense breads pair well with full bodied and complex wines.

We have curated some of the best breads that pair well with wines

Sweet breads like mosbolletjie pair very well with Rieslings and sparkling wine.

Steenberg executive chef Kerry Kilpin shares her mosbolletjie bread recipe. Picture: Supplied

Chef Kerry Kilpin’s Mosbolletjie Bread INGREDIENTS For the dough 450g stone-ground flour 1 egg, beaten 45g butter 150ml milk 160ml must or grape juice 100g brown sugar 5ml aniseed 5g instant yeast 4g salt Glaze 100ml honey 100g butter METHOD Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Combine the milk and butter and gently heat until the butter is melted.

Add the grape juice and egg to the milk and butter. Allow cooling to a tepid temperature.

Combine the flour, sugar, aniseed, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the milk liquid to the flour to form a dough.

Knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes until smooth and the gluten has developed.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume.

While the dough is rising, grease a standard bread tin.

Once the dough has doubled in volume, divide it into 18 equal parts.

2 rows of 9 balls each. Place tightly next to one another in the bread tin.

Combine the honey and butter and melt over medium heat.

Gently brush the top of the buns with the glaze.

Keep the remaining butter glaze when the buns come out of the oven.

Once you have prepared your dough in the tin, allow it to double in size again in a warm place covered with a damp towel.

Once the bread has doubled, place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, glaze a second time with the remaining butter and honey mixture.

Best enjoyed warm straight from the oven with butter.

Picture: Dumisani Sibeko

Health Bread INGREDIENTS (Makes 2 Loaves) 4 x 250ml wholewheat flour 500ml digestive bran 375ml assorted seeds (sesame, poppy, sunflower etc) 125ml dried cranberries (or raisins) 125ml chopped pecan nuts 125ml chopped dried apricots 30ml bicarbonate of soda 1 litre Greek yoghurt 125ml honey METHOD In a large bowl, combine flour, bran, seeds, cranberries or raisins, nuts, apricots and bicarbonate of soda, then mix well.

Combine yoghurt and honey. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the yoghurt and honey. Mix well.

Spoon the mixture into two greased and base-lined 22 x 11cm loaf pans and bake at 180°C for 45 to 60 minutes.

Test by piercing with a toothpick in the centre.

Turn on to a rack to cool.

This loaf is delicious served with a warming soup or with cold meats and cheese and makes the perfect vessel for patés.

Note: Do not be alarmed if the sunflower seeds in the bread turn green the following day.

This is caused by the reaction with the bicarbonate of soda. It does not affect the taste at all.

A heavy bread like this health bread goes very well with a light-bodied or mediumbodied Pinot Noir and for the adventurous, rosé.

Easter desserts from around the world

LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za As Easter approaches, preparation occurs. All over the world, people whip up sweet treats in celebration of this festive holiday.

Here is a glimpse of Easter around the globe.

It is not Easter without a traditional dessert!

Picture: Pexels/Ksenia Chernaya

Hot cross buns Chalka

Hot cross buns A popular Good Friday delicacy in the UK, Australia, South Africa and beyond, hot cross buns are sweet, fruit-filled dough balls decorated with a cross. Every baker fiddles with their signature spice blend, but you can expect cinnamon, cloves, orange zest and nutmeg.

Torrijas In Spain, Easter is celebrated over torrijas, a sophisticated counterpart of French toast. Slices of day-old bread are soaked in milk (or wine, or sherry) that is infused with cinnamon and lemon rind before they are dunked in eggs and fried in plenty of oil. Locals serve the crispy, caramelised slices with a sprinkle

of sugar or a cascade of earthysweet honey.

Neapolitan grain pie A popular Italian dessert is the Neapolitan grain pie. This ricotta cake is flavoured with orange-flower water and sweet pastry cream. The cake requires pre-soaked grain, which you may be able to find canned at some Italian food shops.

Chałka Chałka is a sweet, braided egg bread used in Sabbath and holiday rituals for Jews.

It’s popular in Poland, where it is served all year round, but particularly at Christmas and Easter. It may or may not contain raisins, and any leftovers are

usually eaten the next day as French toast or in a bread pudding with orange sauce.

Paskha Paskha is a rich, sweetened farmer’s cheese and derives its name from the Russian Orthodox Easter. It is served in Russian homes to officially end the meatand dairy-free Lenten fast.

Tsoureki During Easter, Greeks serve loaves of traditional bread called tsoureki. Tsoureki is normally spiced with mahleb, a sweet spice that is readily available in Greece. People who can’t find mahleb often substitute cinnamon.

Tsoureki usually has a red Easter egg baked in the centre. In Greek

Coconut cake. Pictures: Pexels

culture, the eggs are dyed red to symbolise Christ’s blood and the egg is symbolic of His tomb.

Mona de Pasqua In Spanish cities such as Barcelona and Valencia, Easter mona or mona de Pasqua is devoured on Easter Sunday surrounded by family.

Historically, godparents would give decorative cake to their godchildren. The sweet treat ranges from super traditional

(brioche topped with hard-boiled eggs) to wildly imaginative (cartoon character stuffed with crème brûlée), with pastry chefs constantly raising the bar year after year.

Coconut cake In many southern states of the US, coconut cake is a staple on Easter Sunday. Sometimes, the icing is tinted in pastel colours, and sometimes the coconut is even dyed green to mimic the

appearance of grass.

Capirotada We will conclude this journey around the world with the Capirotada, a traditional Easter dessert in Mexico, flavoured with spices and raisins, cloves and cheese. The ingredients have a symbolic meaning: for example, the cloves represent Christ’s cross, the cinnamon represents the sticks that were used to beat Christ.

Deliciously fun ways to eat HOT CROSS BUNS

SACHA VAN NIEKERK sacha.vanniekerk@inl.co.za

Hot cross buns are an Easter classic, but you either love them or hate them. They can be enjoyed as a savoury snack with thick slices of mature cheddar cheese or toasted with salted butter and a generous spread of jam for those with a sweet tooth; regardless, these spicy buns are a must-have at every Easter celebration.

Taking a creative spin on this classic, we’ve rounded up a few recipes that take these sticky, spicy buns to new levels of deliciousness – even those with a strong aversion will find it hard to resist tucking in.

3 ways to enjoy hot cross buns this Easter:

HOT CROSS BUN BREAKFAST SANDWICH Hot cross buns have sweet and spicy elements that marry beautifully with the sharp and savoury elements of a breakfast sandwich. Mature cheddar, crispy bacon and creamy avocado come together for the ultimate twist on an Easter classic.

INGREDIENTS 6 large eggs 6-10 pieces of bacon 6 hot cross buns 6 slices mature cheddar cheese Butter (for toasting) METHOD Fry your eggs and bacon until the bacon is crisp and the eggs are done to your liking. Slice the buns in half, begin layering with all the toppings, and sandwich together.

Butter both sides of the buns and toast on medium heat until they’re golden and the cheese has melted.

Serve hot.

HOT CROSS BUN WAFFLES Waffles are a breakfast food (and dessert) that nobody can ever resist. So why not make them even more tempting with this festive Easter twist? If you prefer more of a crunch when it comes to eating anything sweet, these crispy hot cross bun waffles drenched in warm syrup are the Easter treat for you.

INGREDIENTS 20ml milk ¼ tsp cinnamon Pinch of ginger powder Pinch of nutmeg 1 tbs brown sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp of butter, for toasting 2 fruit hot cross buns sliced in halves 10ml whipping cream 5g cacao METHOD Add milk, cinnamon, ginger powder, nutmeg and sugar to the beaten egg and stir until combined.

Turn on your waffle iron and use the knob of butter to grease each of the sides.

Drench each of the halves of the hot cross buns in the egg mixture until well coated.

Place a hot cross bun slice in the centre of the waffle iron and close lid while applying gentle pressure.

Cook for one to two minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy on the outside.

Plate and serve with toppings of your choice.

HOT CROSS BUN PUDDING A warm pudding baked in the oven with bubbling pools of custard and chocolate, this is a decadent but perfect way to end any Easter feast.

Serve with ice cream for the perfect contrast between hot and cold.

INGREDIENTS 6 hot cross buns 200g milk chocolate or Nutella 400 ml milk 2 medium eggs 3 tbs caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100g chocolate chips METHOD Preheat your oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan and grease a ceramic/glass baking dish/tray.

Halve your hot cross buns, like you would to toast them. Place a few chunks of chocolate in the middle, or spread with Nutella, and sandwich again.

Lay all your hot cross buns next to each other in the dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until combined.

Pour the mixture over the hot cross buns.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, and then sprinkle over the chocolate chips and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes before eating!

The most unusual Easter treats you probably didn't even know about LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za

Easter is a pretty great holiday.

It sometimes feels like the fusion of Christmas and New Year’s Day. And not only is it the most important (and oldest) festival of the Christian church, but it means that a candy celebration is just around the corner.

As part of Easter celebrations, gifts are given in the form of baskets, and they are generally filled with plastic eggs that contain candy, chocolate Easter bunnies, and lots of jelly beans.

Sometimes actual gifts will even be thrown into the basket for kids. Other times, these gifts are in the form of an Easter egg hunt where kids have to look around for the eggs that their parents hid.

For most of us, Easter treats consist of an exciting combination of chocolates, hot cross buns, and pretty much anything involving eggs, but you will be surprised to learn that there are some weird and unusual Easter treats that you have never heard about that some people indulge on as part of their celebrations. The holiday

tradition can get a little stale sometimes, so some people spice it up a bit.

Here are some of the more unusual Easter treats that you probably didn't even know about.

Edible Easter grass A few years ago edible Easter grass started making an appearance in the sweets aisle.

It is a form of decorative grass that is meant to be used in Easter

baskets and other seasonal arrangements for Easter. Edible Easter grass is super cute and just as yummy as candy,according to consumers.

Chocolate Cross There is also the chocolate cross, which seems a bit unsettling. While it can definitely help children learn more about the religious aspects of the holiday, think about what you are doing: You are eating a cross.

Imagine a kid sitting in a corner slowly rocking back and forth and eating a chocolate cross.

Seems like the stuff of nightmares to me.

Carrot Shaped Cupcakes Reports reveal that carrotshaped cupcakes are most certainly one way to get the kids to eat carrots. All you will need to do to achieve this recipe are sugar cones, a filling of your choice, some orange coloured icing and you are good to go.

Rainbow Jelly Eggs Who says Easter eggs have to be hard and hollow?

If you are looking for something different then these rainbow eggs add great colour to your table.

It's a fun way to get the children involved and a colourful dessert that the whole family can enjoy.

Filled Hollow eggs There is nothing worse than unwrapping a beautifully packaged chocolate egg only to find it's nothing but a hollow shell.

Thankfully that's a thing of the past and there are many fun and delicious ways to fill your chocolate eggs at home.

Blogger and author of the book Chocolate, Katelyn Williams has her favourite millionaire shortbread Easter eggs recipe on her blog, The Kate Tin. Williams fills her mini eggs with caramel sauce and serves it with shortbread dippers on the side.

Millionaire shortbread easter eggs. Picture: The Kate Tin

Traditional Easter feast Easter lunch is significant for some families. It’s usually the last time people see each other before Christmas and so a huge spread of food is laid out.

South Africa is diverse and so are our tastes. Even when it comes to something simple, like pickled fish, some would say they never have that for Easter lunch, preferring roast lamb and potatoes.

So this year we have tried to cater for everyone’s taste, but with a difference.

THE FISH Pickled fish is an Easter staple and can be enjoyed as a meal on its own or with easily prepared sides.

The simplest and most convenient sides are usually fresh bread or rolls, a light salad or hot cross buns – another Easter time favourite.

Home cooks (and fish-lovers) will know that the best way to get the most out of your pickled fish, is to prepare it at least two days in advance and allow it to soak in the sauce.

Pickled fish is an Easter staple. Picture supplied

Pickled fish with spicy Malay butter roti INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp olive oil 4 large onions, sliced 1 x 5cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated 6 cloves garlic, crushed 1 ½ tbsp garam masala powder 2 tsp freshly grated turmeric or ground turmeric 2 sprigs fresh bay leaves or lemon leaves 1 tsp allspice powder 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 750ml white vinegar 2 cups water 250 g brown sugar 2 kg kingklip fillets, cut into large cubes Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Seasoned flour, for dusting 2 cups canola oil, for frying 1 tbsp. Cape Malay spice mix 100g salted butter 8 rotis, toasted in a pan 2 green apples, sliced 2 chillies, sliced

Pickled cabbage or sauerkraut, to serve Micro coriander leaves, to serve METHOD Heat olive oil in a casserole over a medium heat and soften the onions.

Add the ginger, garlic and spices and fry until fragrant.

Stir in the vinegar, water and sugar, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes over a low heat.

Meanwhile, dust the fish with the seasoned flour and fry in batches in another casserole with hot canola oil, until lightly browned and tender.

Add the fish to the reduced pickling sauce. Make sure the fish is covered by the sauce and leave to marinate and pickle for a day or two. Make a Malay spice butter by toasting 1 tbsp Cape Malay spice mix in a dry pan, then add 100g of butter to melt into the spices.

Serve the pickled fish with Cape Malay butter wrapped in a warm roti with plain yoghurt, pickled chilli, red cabbage and sliced crunchy apples with micro greens to garnish.

– Recipe by Le Creuset

with a twist BUHLE MBONAMBI buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za

THE MEAT Moroccan lamb shanks (Serves 4) There is always a lot of meat on the menu during Easter, especially with many cutting it out during the Lenten fast. So why not try these lamb shanks now to keep the holiday spirit going?

INGREDIENTS 45ml olive oil 4 lamb shanks 2 onions, chopped 45ml chopped ginger 30ml Moroccan spice rub pinch of saffron 1 stick of cinnamon salt and pepper 400g can of chopped tomatoes 750ml water 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 400g can of chickpeas 100g dried apricots 15ml honey

50g toasted almonds, chopped 45ml chopped coriander METHOD Heat the oil in an ovenproof saucepan and brown the lamb shanks all over. Remove and set aside. Add the onions and fry until soft. Add the ginger, Moroccan spice, saffron, cinnamon and seasoning.

Add the tomatoes and water and bring the mixture to the boil. Return

the shanks and add the carrots.

Cover and put the saucepan in the oven at 160°C for 2-3 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Remove from the oven and add the chickpeas, apricots and honey and return the saucepan to the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve the shanks sprinkled with almonds and coriander.

THE BREAD Pesto monkey bread Refrigerated biscuit dough makes this savoury monkey bread a breeze to put together. The mounds of dough are tossed with a buttery, herby Parmesan and then baked until brown. Any shape pan can be used.

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 tablespoons pesto (store-bought or homemade) 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 340g refrigerated biscuit dough METHOD Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 190ºC. In a 1.4-litre baking dish such as

an 20cm square pan, combine the melted butter, pesto, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and the salt.

Separate the dough into biscuits, and quarter each biscuit. Place the pieces in the baking pan with the butter mixture and, using your hands, toss to combine and coat the pieces well.

Arrange the dough pieces evenly in the pan. They will be piled on top of each other and touching, but make sure they are evenly Pesto monkey bread. | The Washington Post distributed. Then, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the dough Cool in the pan on a wire rack pieces and cover with aluminium foil. for 5 minutes. Invert the monkey Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake for an additional 15 to bread onto the rack, then flip the 20 minutes, or until the top is golden bread carefully over again and transfer to a serving plate. brown and the inside is cooked Serve warm, and let everyone through, with no doughy pockets pull the bread apart into hunks. (use a butter knife to check out the – The Washington Post middle of one biscuit).

THE DESSERT White chocolate cheesecake eggs with lemon curd (makes 8-10) These Easter treats will be a colourful addition to any dessert or tea time table INGREDIENTS 200g white chocolate, chopped 50ml cream 2x250g thick cream cheese grated rind of 1 lemon 60ml lemon juice 200ml cream, whipped hollow chocolate Easter eggs 60ml bought lemon curd METHOD Combine the chocolate and the cream and heat in the microwave on a low setting for 1 to 2 minutes until melted and smooth. Cool. Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add the rind and juice and mix until smooth.

Fold in the whipped cream.

Cut the top off each chocolate

White chocolate cheesecake With lemon curd. | Chris Collingridge

egg by heating a sharp knife and pressing it into the chocolate. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the eggs, filling them right to the top.

Place the filled eggs in a used egg

tray and refrigerate until set. Scoop a small amount of the mixture from the cheesecake and fill with a scoop of lemon curd. Serve the eggs in an egg cup.

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Editor’s Choice

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