Easter Egg Nests...and April's Give-Away

I'm packing up Easter Basket boxes today for the Grands!  My mother always made homemade treats this time of year and I carry on the tradition, coming up with a few new ones she couldn't have imagined!

However, today, I also wanted to focus on Spring and the "rebirth" of the season; not only in the beautiful flowers and trees that are popping out, but in the wildlife.  I love listening to the geese honking on our lake and the birds chirping in the woods behind us.  Then, there's the deer with her fawns frolicking through our yard.  The apron I made for this month's give-away represents all of that...Nature in full bloom.

A close up of this beautiful pattern

The treats I made are my version of macaroons--not to be confused with the French macaron, these are made with coconut with an extra crunch of crushed pretzel sticks to simulate the "twigs" in a nest.  The eggs are my favorite Cadbury eggs with a candy shell.  I think they will be a nice addition to the other treats Ari and Maddie will enjoy.

Easter Egg Nests
1 14 oz. pkg sweetened coconut
1 14oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated)
1/3 cup + 1 T All Whites (from pasteurized egg whites only)

3/4 cup crushed pretzels
1 T Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate bits 
1 pkg Cadbury Mini Eggs

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut and crushed pretzels with your hands to combine.

Using a spatula, fold in the can of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.  Beat the eggs whites on medium speed of a hand mixer to a soft peak.  Add to the mixture and fold in again.

 Use a large 1/4-cup scoop and pack down using the spatula.

Place the mounds on the baking sheet.  With the back of a spoon, press down in the center to create the nest.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake another 7-8 minutes until golden brown.

Add about 5 or 6 bittersweet pieces immediately to the warm cookies.  As they become soft and melted, place 3 mini eggs in the center of the nest.

I packaged these treats in an 4 x 6-inch self-sealed bag I bought at the packaging store then, add a sticker that I stamped a bird nest on.

I thought the cracking of the eggs from the warmth of the cookies was a nice touch--as if to show new life unfolding. 

Happy Easter and Passover to everyone.  Remember, when you comment on posts during this month, your name is place in a jar.  I will draw the winner of Spring's Rebirth Apron at the end of the month.  Enjoy!

 

Eggstrordinary Cake Pops

Every year, I like to make chocolate Easter eggs to give as gifts and this year is no different.  However, instead of a cream filled egg, I chose to make mine cake. According to Wikipedia, the egg "is a pagan symbol of the rebirth of Earth," which I find interesting because yesterday we celebrated Earth Day!  It was later adopted by Christians to symbolize the rebirth of Jesus.

As Christmas and the 4th of July were my mother's holidays to have family over and Memorial Day was Grandma Huekels' day, Easter always meant we would pile into the car and go to Grandma Tierney's house for dinner.  I loved seeing my cousins and sitting around their large dining table, listening to conversations and feeling secure in this tradition our family shared.  That changed when I was eleven and my grandmother passed away, but my mother stepped and started a new tradition.

I've enjoyed making cake pops for awhile and find that they ship better than my cupcakes to family and friends for special occasions.

Who can pass up that little bunny!

I decided to make these chocolate/chocolate--the cake is chocolate and the frosting is chocolate, but I wanted them colorful, so I chose melting chocolate in colors to resembled dyed eggs instead of my usual choice of bittersweet chocolate. (You can find melting chocolate and the 6" Lollipop Sticks at Michael's).  I wouldn't recommend hiding these eggs, but rather make them the centerpiece of your Spring table to celebrate nature's rebirth!

Chocolate Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk


Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Spray a 12" x 17" (or 13" x 18") sheet pan with a nonstick baking spray and set aside.


In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix until combined.


Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and use a wire whisk to blend.  Alternate adding dry ingredients with the buttermilk--starting and ending with dry ingredients.


Spread the batter onto the preparing baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven 20 to 22 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch--DON'T OVER BAKE!
Let the cake cool completely before crumbling it into the frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 T Vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 to 3 T milk, if needed

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until combined.  Add the vanilla and cocoa powder and mix until combined, adding milk to create a creamier frosting.

Crumble the cake and while the mixer is running drop into the bowl.  Continue until all the cake as been mixed into the frosting.

  Use a 2 Tablespoon scoop to measure out cake dough.  Roll in your hands, forming into an egg-shape.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Continue until all the dough is used.  Place baking sheet into the refrigerator and let eggs chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a double boiler over medium-low heat, place the colored melting chocolate.  When chocolate has melted, turn the burner off.  Remove your eggs from the refrigerator and dip a lollipop stick into the chocolate and push into the bottom end of the egg-shape.

Once you have about a dozen done, start dipping the eggs into the chocolate.

Let the excess drip off and then, use a piece of Oasis to stand your colored eggs into while they dry.
I used four different colors to do my eggs--you'll get about 6 dozen eggs from this batch!

To save the chocolate, scrape onto a wax-paper lined plate to cool until hardened.  Place in a 1-quart freezer bag and seal.  You can re-heat this melting chocolate over and over again.

Not everyone may like hard boiled eggs, but I guarantee these chocolate covered eggs won't get passed up.  Enjoy!

Pacific Northwest Hot Cross Buns

On Good Friday, my mother always made Hot Cross Buns--it was her ritual.  Since I had the day off, I loved to help her make up these sweet buns that we enjoyed for breakfast and delivered a pan to my grandparents, who anxiously awaited their treat.  I have continued her ritual, making up the recipe she knew by heart, for my family and friends.  However, this morning, I don't know what came over me, but I decided to change the recipe to reflect where I call home--the Pacific Northwest.

Yes, we get a bum rap about our rain, rain, and more rain, but there are some beautiful reasons to live here.  One, that I've especially enjoyed, is the abundant crop of cherries that appear in the Farmer's Market in early June through August.  Over the years, I've enjoyed baking with several varieties, as well as, making jam and of course, adding fresh cherries to summer fruit salads.  And, Washington and Oregon cherry crops are enjoyed not only throughout the United States, but we export our harvest to other parts of the world to enjoy as well.

Just in case you weren't aware of the incredible health benefits, I'll fill you in.  First, they're a great source of dietary potassium, found to reduce hypertension and strokes, which has become a growing concern here in this country.  The two properties I find interesting is the benefit of reducing your cancer risk--high in fiber, Vitamin C, carotenoids and anthocyanins have been found to protect cells that may be prone to cancer and phytochemicals that inhibit enzymes responsible for inflammatory responses.  Of course, it doesn't stop there; sweet cherries are being researched for reducing the risk or morbidity related to Alzheimer's because of the phenolic compounds that protect neuronal cells involved in neurological function.  And finally, for all you insomniacs, cherries are an excellent source of melatonin that plays a role in promoting healthy circadian rhythm and healthy sleep patterns.

So, scientifically cherries were a good choice to add to my Hot Cross Buns, but moreover, I took a traditional recipe, created year after year, and made it my own to pass on to my daughter and grandchildren.  Isn't that what tradition is all about!

Pacific Northwest Hot Cross Buns
1 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup currants 
Place fruit in a small sauce pan.  Add about 3/4 cup water to cover and heat on medium to a boil.  Turn off the heat and cover pan.  Set aside while you prepare the dough. 

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the icing)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
6 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup milk
2 pkgs. (or a scant 2T) dry active yeast 
1 Vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
6 to 6 1/2 cups King Arthur All-purpose flour

Additional butter
Sparkling sugar


In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add the milk, then, the butter.  Microwave on High for 40 seconds, adding an addition 20 seconds for butter to have melted.  Add water to measure 2 cups of liquid.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, place the sugar, salt, egg and egg yolk.  Mix on low just until combined.  Slowly add the liquid and mix to combine.  Sprinkle the yeast over this mixture and blend.  Let rest 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy.  Add the vanilla bean, 2 cups of the flour and the spices, blend on medium speed.  Before adding to the dough, drain cherry/currant mixture, reserving the liquid to add to the icing.  Rough chop the fruit and add along with the an additional 2 cups of flour, blend once more.  

Change to the dough hook attachment and add flour, in 1/2-cup increments.  Once the dough has left the sides of the bowl, turn out onto a board and knead until smooth.  

In a large bowl, add 1 T butter and microwave on High for 40 seconds.  Brush the melted butter up the sides.  Add the dough, turning it over with the buttered-side up.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour or more until doubled in size.

Turn risen dough out onto a board and divide into 24 pieces.  Roll dough into balls and place in a buttered pan, leaving about 1/2-inch space between for rising.  

Brush tops with melted butter and cover once again with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise 40-55 minutes, or until doubled in size. 

Half way through the last rising, preheat oven to 400F-degrees.   Use kitchen shears to snip a "cross" in the tops of the buns.  Sprinkle tops with Sparkling Sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature is 190F-degrees.  Let cool.


Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
Reserved egg white*
Reserved cherry liquid


*If you're concerned with using the raw egg white, replace with 2 T meringue powder and 1 tsp. light Karo syrup.


In a small bowl whisk the sugar and egg white (or substitution).  Add enough of the cherry liquid to make a spreadable icing.  I placed the icing in a pastry bag, fitted with a #7 tip and piped the traditional "cross" on top of the buns.  Alternatively, if you don't have a pastry bag, place icing in a plastic sandwich bag and at one of the corners, cut a small opening with scissors and pipe the cross.

It's so comforting to bake a recipe you've grown up with.  The memories come flooding back, helping my mother and in later years, my daughters helping me, create these traditional Good Friday treats.  I hope one day to have Ari and Maddie in the kitchen to make my version and start some new traditions of their own.  Enjoy!