Celebrate the arrival of the new season and keep the kids busy over the holidays with our cute Easter crafts
recipes & craftsCASSIE BEST photographsELLA MILLER
family
Mini eton mess cheesecake tarts
These easy meringue-topped tarts don’t require cooking, so they’re ideal for young children to get involved with making.
MAKES 18 PREP 10 mins NO COOK EASY V
75g raspberry jam or compote 18 mini pastry tart cases (about 5cm) 150ml double cream 100g soft cheese 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp icing sugar 18 mini multi-coloured meringues
1Spoon 1/2 tsp jam into the base of each tart case. Weigh the cream, soft cheese, vanilla and icing sugar out into a bowl and whisk to combine. Divide the cheesecake mixture between the tart cases by spooning or piping it on top of the jam. If you’re making ahead, chill for up to 6 hrs until ready to serve.
2Top each tart with a coloured mini meringue and arrange on a plate or cake stand to serve.
PER SERVING 142 kcals • fat 8g • saturates 5g • carbs 16g • sugars 11g • fibre 0.2g • protein 2g • salt 0.08g
Spring bouquet traybake
Turn this traybake into a floral masterpiece with some clever piping.
SERVES 20 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V
150g butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 225g caster sugar 175g self-raising flour 50g ground almonds 1 tsp baking powder 3 medium eggs 100ml full-fat natural yogurt 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
200g butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla extract 400g icing sugar, sieved 1-2 tbsp milk pink and purple food colouring gels 50g green fondant icing
1Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line with two strips of baking parchment, leaving one strip overhanging to help you lift the sponge out once it is cooked. Beat all the sponge ingredients together in a large bowl using an electric whisk until combined, light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Scrape into the tin and smooth to the edges with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 mins until risen and golden. Check the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre – if there’s wet cake mixture on the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins more, then check again. Leave to cool for 20 mins in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
2To make the icing, beat the butter and vanilla together in a large bowl using an electric whisk until smooth. Add half the sugar and beat well, then add the remaining sugar and the milk, and beat again until smooth. Put two-thirds of the icing in a bo
