Cheesecake Chocolate Eggs

Posing as real half boiled eggs, alongside servings of sweet puff pastry soldiers, these would be an amazing treat for Easter or if you want to create something a little quirky. So simple to make and with so much of a wow factor, these must be top of your to-do list.

This Easter I wanted to do something different and a little less complicated seeing as I had final year exams to revise for. Compared to my Mango PanEggs, these were a breeze to make. I had the utmost fun constructing them and of course, they tasted just as divine as they looked - so my guests said. 

[A late post, but as they say better late than never hey!]

Ingredients:
6 Kinder eggs (or any similar sized hollow chocolate eggs)
250g marscapone
100g philadelphia
80ml double cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g digestive biscuits
50g caster sugar
1/2 can mango pulp (you won't use all)
1 puff pastry sheet
1 egg.

Method:

• Heat a knife and carefully cut the tops off the eggs and place in egg moulds or an egg box.
• Mix the marscapone, philadelphia cheese, caster sugar together.
• In a food processor, grind the biscuits until they resemble all crumbs, not too fine. Fill the base of the eggs with these.
• Add the vanilla and slowly add the cream and whip until soft peaks form.
• With a piping bag and a round nozzle, pipe the cheesecake mixture till about three quarters of the way through.
• With the back of a teaspoon scoop out a tiny bit of the cheesecake from the middle of your eggs.
• Fill the mini holes with mango pulp to resemble the yolk.
• Cut the puff pastry sheets into thin strips to resemble soldiers and brush with a beaten egg and some caster sugar and place in the oven until risen and gold in colour.

These are really so easy and so effective to do! You don't have to make the puff pastry soldiers if you don't have that much time, but I just thought they went well with these 'half boiled eggs!'

You'd be a fool not to try these out next Easter!

Dainty Cook xox

Rose Apple and Cinnamon Puffs

An artistic take on the traditional Apple Turnover, these apple puffs, performing as red roses, will wow family members or dinner party guests and will leave your stomachs satisfied on a nippy autumn evening.

I first saw these on those baking/cooking tip videos that were circulating on social media. Usually I create quite technical or super time consuming bakes, but this looked so simple, I had to place it on the top of my to-do list. When made, they were an utter delight to eat and admire.

Ingredients:

2 large red apples (or 3 small)

1 sheet of ready to roll Puff Pastry

A handful of cinnamon

A Lemon

Apricot Jam (Strawberry or raspberry can work well too)

Red Food colouring (optional)

Method:

• Using an apple corer, carefully remove the core of your apples. If you don't have a corer, simply remove the core once sliced (more time consuming).
• Turn the apple to its side and slice vertically about half a 3mm thick either with a knife or slicer.
• Cut these slices in half so you are left with two semi circles without cores.
• Get a bowl of water and fill with warm water, adding the apples to this, then squeeze a lemon on top and mix. This is to stop them browning.
• Microwave for 3 minutes.
• Place the puff pastry sheet in 'portrait mode' and roll out so it is thinner and cut across small strips about 4 cms in width.
• Get your jam and mix it with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Spoon this evenly on your strip.
• Then, places your apple slices on the top of the strip, making sure they overlap each other by at least half and continue until you reach the end. 
• Sprinkle over some cinnamon, roll the strip and repeat with the remaining apples.
• If you want them more red looking, mix a drop of red food colouring with water and brush the tops and sides of the apples.

*Picture courtesy of Tip Hero

• Place the apple roses in a cup cake or muffin tray hole, lined with cases.
• Put them in the oven for 35-40 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. They may brown after the full cooking time but this is expected.
• Once puffed and the apples have cooked, lightly brush with more apricot jam to sweeten.

You have now created some tasty autumnal treats that look beautiful. Serve warm and enjoy!

Heres the link to the original: http://tiphero.com/baked-apple-roses/

Dainty Cook xox