Easter is a great time to get the kids in the kitchen and bake some tasty treats to last through the holidays and to create gifts for friends and relatives over the Easter period.

Nest cakes

An oldie but a goodie. Nest cakes are super simple to make even for little hands.

You’ll need:
  • 200g milk chocolate
  • 85g of shredded wheat cereal
  • 2x 100g bags of mini chocolate eggs
Method:
  • Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (a heat proof bowl sat over the saucepan of simmering water). This will gently heat the chocolate and avoid splitting.
  • Crush the shredded wheat into what looks like strands from a nest
  • Once the chocolate is melted mix with the strands until totally coated
  • Now the messy bit, take 12 paper cases and place them in a muffin tray. Put a teaspoon of the mixture into each case and push it to the sides leaving a small well in the middle. Fingers are best here, prepare to get sticky. If there’s any mixture left distribute between all the nests.
  • Then add three chocolate eggs to each nest. If you’re not keen on chocolate eggs you can add anything Easter themed from bunnies to chicks.

Chocolate truffle egg box

A great gift for friends and family and fun for the children to make themselves You’ll need:
  • 150ml double cream
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 100g milk chocolate
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 50g chopped hazelnuts
Method
  • Gently heat the cream in a saucepan. When hot, but not boiling, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly
  • Add the chocolate to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon until meted
  • Place the mixture in a bowl and leave in the fridge until set
  • Now the fun part, using a small scoop, melon baller or teaspoon take small amounts of the mixture and roll between your palms into a ball to create your very own truffles
  • Roll half the truffles in the cocoa and half in the nuts. Or for more child friendly truffles roll them in rice crispies, sprinkles or cover them in melted chocolate
  • When the truffles are made, add them to a clean egg box. For extra fun, paint and decorate the egg box first and line the egg wells with different coloured squares of tissue paper.
Have fun with your kids making these very edible treats – and ensure there’s one or two ‘spare’ ones to reward them with at the end of their making session.