Our favourite Easter recipes & traditions
The Easter Show may be cancelled, your road trip may be postponed, and Easter Sunday lunch may be smaller this year, but that doesn't mean you should forget about Easter altogether. Now, more than ever, we need to keep up our spirits with special traditions. So, with that said, bring on the hot cross buns, the Easter egg hunt and the ultimate chocolate desserts. Here are some ideas to make it a memorable Easter for all the right reasons.
Hot cross buns
Our stylist Drew Lewis and designer Lucy Stevens are big fans of Maggie Beer's hot cross buns, but if kneading makes you nervous, try these foolproof no-knead hot cross buns instead. (Mind you, the latter recipe requires you to start the recipe the day before and doesn't come with that gorgeous glaze.)
Have too many buns on your hands? Try this irresistible raspberry and chocolate hot cross bun pudding (pictured below), which tastes as good as it looks! Hot cross bun chocolate French toast and hot cross bun ice cream sandwiches are also easy and delicious ways to use up excess buns.
Image via taste.com.au
If you love hot cross bun flavours, but you're not so mad on dough, try these hot cross bun cannoli instead. Filled with a ricotta mixture of currants, sultanas and mixed spice, it's everything we love about hot cross buns encased in a crisp pastry shell.
Easter baking with the kids
The kids will love this easy Easter rocky road slice (pictured below) packed with speckled eggs, Turkish delight and marshmallows. It also makes a great addition to a care package for friends and family. Lovers of Cadbury Creme Eggs will want to try these scotch creme eggs: it's messy but so much fun to make (and eat)!
Image via taste.com.au
Camping
Can't cope with an Easter holiday that doesn't involve camping? Why not pitch a tent in the backyard. It may not be the beach vista you envisioned, but the kids will love it, plus it'll be less time-consuming and a lot cheaper. Make a pact to stay outside so it feels like the real thing. Plan your favourite camping meals to cook outside, and take out sleeping bags, pillows, games and an esky of chilled drinks, but enjoy the perks of being home (hello outdoor movie night and hot showers). Why not string up the festoon lights and do the egg hunt at night for a change?
Easter Sunday lunch
For a smart but casual look for the Easter Sunday table, go rustic with light timbers and earthy stoneware. Don't worry about buying flowers, just collect some lush foliage from your garden.
Create organic centrepieces by filling trays or cake stands with twigs, leaves, candles and eggs. Don't hold back on platters and boards just because you're not having guests over. A wooden board for roasts also makes for easier carving. Speaking of which…
The lamb roast
In so many traditions, it's not Easter without a roast lamb. Go low and slow for the most succulent Easter roast. Find fantastic lamb recipes here, including chef Shane Delia's Middle Eastern-inspired 12-hour roast lamb with pistachio and green-olive tabbouleh which is so much easier than it sounds, plus an Indian-spiced lamb shoulder with saffron pilaf (pictured below). Shop our roasting pans to get your long lunch sorted.
Image via Australian Gourmet Traveller
For sides, make the most of in-season figs with a salad of fig, mozzarella and basil (pictured below) or dress baby carrots with garlic, ginger and smoked chilli butter, a versatile condiment which works equally well with other greens.
Image via Australian Gourmet Traveller
Over-the-top chocolate desserts
Bring on the chocolate this Easter with these ultra-decadent desserts. Perhaps this sensational Snickers cheesecake (pictured below) oozing with caramel goodness or a batch of chocolate cream doughnuts for a pastry riff on Tim Tams.
Image via taste.com.au
If you're more inclined towards classic desserts, you can't go past this triple chocolate praline tart or whisky-laced salted chocolate layer cake with whipped ganache. Both can be made ahead of time so you can spread out your Easter prep over the long weekend. Shop our bakeware for all your baking needs.
Hot cross buns
Our stylist Drew Lewis and designer Lucy Stevens are big fans of Maggie Beer's hot cross buns, but if kneading makes you nervous, try these foolproof no-knead hot cross buns instead. (Mind you, the latter recipe requires you to start the recipe the day before and doesn't come with that gorgeous glaze.)
Have too many buns on your hands? Try this irresistible raspberry and chocolate hot cross bun pudding (pictured below), which tastes as good as it looks! Hot cross bun chocolate French toast and hot cross bun ice cream sandwiches are also easy and delicious ways to use up excess buns.
Image via taste.com.au
If you love hot cross bun flavours, but you're not so mad on dough, try these hot cross bun cannoli instead. Filled with a ricotta mixture of currants, sultanas and mixed spice, it's everything we love about hot cross buns encased in a crisp pastry shell.
Easter baking with the kids
The kids will love this easy Easter rocky road slice (pictured below) packed with speckled eggs, Turkish delight and marshmallows. It also makes a great addition to a care package for friends and family. Lovers of Cadbury Creme Eggs will want to try these scotch creme eggs: it's messy but so much fun to make (and eat)!
Image via taste.com.au
Camping
Can't cope with an Easter holiday that doesn't involve camping? Why not pitch a tent in the backyard. It may not be the beach vista you envisioned, but the kids will love it, plus it'll be less time-consuming and a lot cheaper. Make a pact to stay outside so it feels like the real thing. Plan your favourite camping meals to cook outside, and take out sleeping bags, pillows, games and an esky of chilled drinks, but enjoy the perks of being home (hello outdoor movie night and hot showers). Why not string up the festoon lights and do the egg hunt at night for a change?
Easter Sunday lunch
For a smart but casual look for the Easter Sunday table, go rustic with light timbers and earthy stoneware. Don't worry about buying flowers, just collect some lush foliage from your garden.
Create organic centrepieces by filling trays or cake stands with twigs, leaves, candles and eggs. Don't hold back on platters and boards just because you're not having guests over. A wooden board for roasts also makes for easier carving. Speaking of which…
The lamb roast
In so many traditions, it's not Easter without a roast lamb. Go low and slow for the most succulent Easter roast. Find fantastic lamb recipes here, including chef Shane Delia's Middle Eastern-inspired 12-hour roast lamb with pistachio and green-olive tabbouleh which is so much easier than it sounds, plus an Indian-spiced lamb shoulder with saffron pilaf (pictured below). Shop our roasting pans to get your long lunch sorted.
Image via Australian Gourmet Traveller
For sides, make the most of in-season figs with a salad of fig, mozzarella and basil (pictured below) or dress baby carrots with garlic, ginger and smoked chilli butter, a versatile condiment which works equally well with other greens.
Image via Australian Gourmet Traveller
Over-the-top chocolate desserts
Bring on the chocolate this Easter with these ultra-decadent desserts. Perhaps this sensational Snickers cheesecake (pictured below) oozing with caramel goodness or a batch of chocolate cream doughnuts for a pastry riff on Tim Tams.
Image via taste.com.au
If you're more inclined towards classic desserts, you can't go past this triple chocolate praline tart or whisky-laced salted chocolate layer cake with whipped ganache. Both can be made ahead of time so you can spread out your Easter prep over the long weekend. Shop our bakeware for all your baking needs.
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